NZEI RELEASE
26th September 2008
Te Marautanga Hailed As Pioneering Document For Maori Education
NZEI Te Riu Roa says teachers in kura kaupapa and bi-lingual units will embrace the Maori medium curriculum Te
Marautanga o Aotearoa as it gives them the clear direction they have been waiting for.
The Maori medium curriculum was launched in Wellington today by the Maori Affairs and Association Education Minister
Parekura Horomia.
It sets the direction for the thousands of students in bi-lingual Maori units and total immersion schools, where te reo
Maori is used for all teaching and learning.
NZEI Miro Maori members who make up the majority of teachers in those schools, have been involved in the development of
Te Marautanga. They say it is a pioneering and world-leading document because it is not a translation but is written in
te reo and from a completely indigenous perspective.
NZEI Matua Takawaenga, Laures Park says "kaiako in kura kaupapa and bi-lingual units will be able to take clear
direction from it, map out their students' learning and decide what kind of outcomes they want for them. It can also be
accessed by students in mainstream schools and is a vision for our children."
However she says it will require adequate resourcing and professional development for teachers and principals, if it is
to be successfully implemented.
ENDS