Māori Educators Send Powerful Message on Standards

Māori Educators Send Powerful Message on National Standards

A hui of more than 200 Māori educators has issued a strong vote of no confidence in National Standards, saying they will damage the learning of tamariki Māori.

The teachers and principals have been in Rotorua attending the annual hui of Te Reo Areare - the Māori Council of the education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa.

Today they unanimously passed a resolution saying supporting the call for National Standards to be trialled in kura auraki or English-medium schools. Over 80% of Māori students attend mainstream schools.

The hui was united in its belief that National Standards in their present form discriminate against tamariki Māori and marginalise their potential. In a statement it said:

“Government leaders, including the Prime Minister John Key claim that National Standards are being implemented to lift the tail of under achievement. As representatives of Māori teachers we strongly deny that untested National Standards will do that and believe that they will damage the learning of our tamariki Māori”.

NZEI Matua Takawaenga, Laures Park says the feeling from the floor was very clear.

“When the question, who supports National Standards was asked, one hand out of more than 200 went up”.

“The challenge now is for the Government, and particularly the Māori Party which continues to support National Standards, to acknowledge there are particular concerns for Māori students and their whānau which cannot and should not be ignored,” she says.

ENDS

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