Funding boost great news for te reo Māori

Funding boost great news for te reo Māori

16 May 2013

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (TTWh) has welcomed the increased investment in Māori Language revitilisation announced today by Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples.

“Vote Māori Affairs provides $8m over four years for a new Māori Language Research and Development fund, which will be administered by TTWh to strengthen the evidence base for effective Māori Language policies and programmes,” Dr Sharples says.

Budget 2013 will also increase funding for Mā te Reo to 2.5m a year within Vote baselines.

“The Minister has acknowledged the call from the people to increase support to te reo by securing this funding. This will allow whānau and communities to further develop their language aspirations and in a time of fiscal restraint we must recognize Minister Sharples efforts in doing so:" Erima Henare, Chairman of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, said this afternoon.

Mr Henare said the new Māori Language Research and Development fund allows for thorough research into Māori language policy.

“Māori were critically thorough when planning endeavors of great importance, the same precise planning must be applied in retaining te reo Māori and this fund will enable that.”

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori will continue to administer funding for community based reo initiatives through the Mā Te Reo and He Kāinga Kōrerorero programs and alongside Te Puni Kōkiri and te reo Māori stakeholders will develop the Māori Language Strategy to be announced later this year.

"Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori remains committed to ensuring that both Government and Māori work together to protect te reo Māori. This funding is an enormous boost to enable that,” Chief Executive Glenis Philip-Barbara said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media