MEDIA RELEASE
Hon Dr Pita Sharples
Co-Leader of the Maori Party
28 May 2009
EDUCATION: $20m to help Maori in high school
Talks between Dr Pita Sharples and Education Minister Anne Tolley have resulted in an extra $19.9 million being
allocated over the next four years to address underachievement by mainstream secondary schools in educating Maori.
“Since the Maori Party got into Parliament, we’ve been taking the stand that something needs to be done about so many of
our children leaving school without any qualifications,” Dr Sharples said.
“I’m pleased that Mrs Tolley has heard us in this respect.”
The boost in money will see another thirty schools, where there are high numbers of Maori students, benefit from Te
Kotahitanga – a programme that supports teachers to build more effective teaching relationships with Year 9 and 10 Maori
students.
Ministry of Education statistics show that Maori students in mainstream secondary schools are three times more likely
than non-Maori students to leave school early. The extra money will see $6.4 million allocated in 2009/10, $4.6 million
in 2010/11 and $4.5 million in each of the two years to follow.
“Another very positive announcement in Budget 2009 is the $69.7m to expand the twenty hour early childhood scheme from
July 1 to five-year-olds, play centres and nga kohanga reo,” Dr Sharples.
“The Maori Party has been a strong advocate for extending the criteria to including play centres and kohanga reo in the
scheme. It is great to see this inequity finally being addressed.”
ENDS