Production “pause” Deals Blow To Pasifika

14th October 2010

For Immediate Release

Production “pause” Deals Blow To Pasifika Teaching And Learning

The education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa says a decision to halt production of Pacific Island reading materials penalises Pasifika students and undermines the value of bi-lingual education.

The Ministry of Education says it is “pausing” production of the TUPU Pasifika language series from the end of this year. The TUPU series is a set of Pacific language readers for beginners in a range of Pacific languages which contribute to bi-lingual education programmes in schools.

Research shows that students who have strong literacy in their own language have greater success in literacy in English. Bi-lingualism has also been identified as a major contributor to the overall academic success of Pasifika students in New Zealand schools.

“These readers are an effective learning resource which not only promote bi-lingual literacy but also respect the value of Pacific languages and cultures,” says NZEI President Frances Nelson.

“By having reading material in their own languages, Pasifika children can access the curriculum and establish good learning habits. Being strong and confident in their own language builds a foundation for their future learning and literacy.”

“It is ironic that the government is removing a resource which can actually make a difference to student learning while it continues to spend millions on a flawed and unproven system of National Standards which schools and parents know will do nothing to lift the achievement of Pasifika children,” says Ms Nelson.
NZEI is calling on the government to review its decision and show some commitment to Pasifika students and their learning by resuming production of the TUPU series.
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