25 September 2007

Boost to te reo Māori teaching scholarships

A $30,000 a year scholarship is being created to encourage te reo Māori speakers working in other careers to retrain as teachers, Associate Education Minister Parekura Horomia announced today.

Mr Horomia said the current range of teacher recruitment scholarships are being replaced with a single, flexible and more responsive scholarship.

“Of particular significance is the enhanced scholarship for prospective teachers in Māori medium and te reo Māori. As well as paying course costs, the enhanced scholarship offers a $30,000 annual allowance to people from other careers to retrain in teaching areas of high demand.”

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants need fluency in te reo Māori and either three years work experience and a degree (for the te reo Māori scholarship) or six years work experience (for the Māori medium scholarship).

"Existing scholarships offer a maximum allowance of $10,000, with some also covering course fees. The change is worth up to nine times the current allowance over the period of study.

"It aims to increase incentives for te reo speakers in other professions to make the switch into teaching. In order to meet the goals of the Labour-led government's Māori Language Strategy more te reo teachers are necessary," Mr Horomia said.

"I have initiated the establishment of a think tank designed to further develop a vision for Māori medium education, including a long term plan for the recruitment and retention of Māori medium teachers.

"The revised scholarship should assist increased teacher supply and will be an enormous boost to the teaching of Māori in both primary and secondary schools. Demand is there for people with wider experience to come into teaching."

Mr Horomia said applications for the new scholarships will be available from next month, with the first recipients to study in 2008. Recipients will be bonded to take up teaching following their training.

Or go to the website www.TeachNZ.govt.nz.

Other TeachNZ changes at a glance:

- Successful applicants for new TeachNZ scholarships will have their course costs paid and will be bonded to teach.
- High-needs areas include: te reo Māori, and Māori medium teachers, rural teachers, chemistry, home economics, mathematics, physics, technology.
- Home economics is a new edition to the range of subjects, and is a timely introduction given the increasing importance of healthy eating in schools.
- Enhanced scholarships for ‘career-changers’ will also pay course costs and a $30,000 annual allowance for te reo and technology teacher-trainees.
- Recipients of TeachNZ scholarships under the current model who are still in training will not have their conditions changed.

ENDS

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