On Friday, the Waitangi Tribunal released Kei Ahotea Te Aho Matua – Pre-publication Version, a report on the urgent claim bought by Te Rūnanga Nui and the Kura Kaupapa Māori Te Aho Matua whānau it represents.

The report found that the Crown has breached the principles of partnership, active protection, equity, and options throughout its education review and reform process because it did not sufficiently involve or consider Te Rūnanga Nui or Kura Kaupapa Māori.

“The Crown must urgently take action on these breaches under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and commit funding to allow Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori the autonomy to establish a Kura Kaupapa Māori education authority,” said Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Education, Tākuta Ferris

“It has been evident for years that Kura Kaupapa Māori education has been transformational for tauira Māori, yet the government decided to lock these providers out of the decision-making process that will shape the future of education for our mokopuna.”

“The empowerment of Kura Kaupapa Māori should be at the forefront of any education reform if the Crown is serious about closing the equity gap between Māori and non-Māori.”

“Tamariki in Kura Kaupapa Māori are equipped right from Kōhanga Reo through to Wharekura to understand the value of being Māori and when they step into the world, they never lose sight of their culture, whakapapa, and identity.”

“In a cruel twist of irony, the Ministry of Education announced that they will be withdrawing funding from 15 Kura Kaupapa Māori property projects on the same day that this report was released.”

“When will the Crown commit to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi? when will they accept that Māori are more than capable of healing, caring for, and educating Māori if we are properly resourced?”

“By Māori, for Māori, to Māori is the only way forward. Te Pāti Māori will ensure that kaupapa Māori education is properly resourced and valued,” said Ferris.

I tērā Paraire, i whakatairangahia e te Te Roopu Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi tō rātou pūrongo, ko Kei Ahotea Te Aho Matua – Pre-publication Version, mō te kerēme ohotata i kawea e Te Rūnanga Nui o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori (Te Rūnanga Nui).

Ko tā te pūrongo i takahi te Karauna i ngā mātāpono o te patuitanga, te whakamarumaru, te mana taurite, me ngā kōwhiringa ake i tā rātou arotake mātauranga/kura. Me te aha, kāore te Karauna i kōrero, i whai whakaaro rānei ki Te Rūnanga Nui me ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori.

“He mea waiwai te mahi a te Karauna mō ēnei takahitanga i raro i Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Me tukuna te pūtea kia āhei ai ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori te mana motuhake ki te whakatū i tētahi mana mātauranga Kura Kaupapa Māori”. I kī te māngai mō te mātauranga nō Te Pāti Māori, a Tākuta Ferris.

“E pūrangiaho ana te kite i roto i ngā tau ka whai hua nui te marautanga o Te Aho Matua mō ngā tauira Māori. Heoi, i whakatau te kāwanatanga ki te tāmau i ēnei kaiwhakarato mai i te huarahi whakatau ka whakatauhia te oranga o te mātauranga mō ā tātou mokopuna.”

“Ki te hiahia te Karauna ki te whakawhāiti te angotanga i waenga i te iwi Māori me te Pākehā, me noho ki mua te whakamanatanga o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori i roto i ngā whakarerekētanga o te mātauranga.”

“Mai i te kuhu o te tamaiti ki te Kōhanga Reo tae noa ki tana ekenga ki te Wharekura ka haere kōtui ia me te mōhio ki te uaratanga o te noho Māori. I te wā hoki ka eke ia ki te ao whānui ka kore rawa ia e ngaro i tana pupuri o tōna ahurea, whakapapa, me tōna tuakiri rānei.”

“Hei āpiti atu hoki ki ngā mahi pūhohe, i puta te kōrero a Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga i te rā kotahi, ka paunu rātou i te pūtea mai i ngā kaupapa rawa tekau mā rima mō ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori.”

“Āhea te Karauna e pono ai ki te whakamana i tōna herenga i Te Tiriti o Waitangi? Āhea rātou whakaae ai he nui ake te kaha o te iwi Māori ki te whakaora, ki te manaaki, ki te whakaako i tō mātou ake iwi mēnā kia tika te tohatoha o ngā rauemi ki a tātou?”

“Mā te Māori, mō te Māori, ki te Māori anake te huarahi whakamua. Mā Te Pāti Māori e whakatūturu kia tika ngā rauemi me te wāriu o te mātauranga o ngā kaupapa Māori, o te Aho Matua.” Hei tā Ferris.

© Scoop Media