Our 2011 election manifesto - Labour Party

Māori Education
Māori Participation and Achievement
Raising Māori achievement will be a key goal of the next Labour Government. It is essential
to provide Māori with educational opportunities across all sectors of learning: early childhood
education, kura and tertiary, and right through to trades training. As already discussed,
Labour will devote resources to increasing participation by Māori in early childhood
education.
Labour will encourage whānau to participate fully in education and life-long learning –
from early childhood and compulsory education to tertiary, wānanga or training.
It is important that our education system is configured so Māori can benefit and succeed in
education as Māori. The Māori Education Strategy 2008 – 2012 (Ka Hikitia – Managing for
Success) will help ensure this outcome.
Labour will continue to ensure the successful implementation of Ka Hikitia in order to
lift Māori achievement.
Labour firmly believes that teachers are our most important educational resource. This is
especially true of our Kaiako in Māori education.
Labour will continue to roll out Te Kotahitanga, a programme designed in 2001 to
address the problem of underachievement among Māori students in mainstream
schools.
Māori Language and Culture
Te Kōhanga Reo is a total immersion Te Reo Māori whānau programme for mokopuna from
birth to six years of age, where the language of communication will be Māori. It is a valuable
institution and after thirty years of existence, it‟s time to review Kōhanga Reo with the aim of
supporting and strengthening it.
Labour will work alongside Te Kohanga Reo Trust, Māori Language and education
experts to ensure we are well-equipped to meet the needs of Māori children.
Māori arts, culture and heritage make a vital contribution to our national identity and help to
define New Zealand as a unique nation with our own distinctive images and perspective.
Our schools – both mainstream and Māori-medium – are the places where this unique
culture is nurtured. But Māori culture is not only important for our national identity, it is also a
vital component of the education of young Māori people. Labour believes that Māori culture
and identity has a part to play in raising achievement. Much progress has been made on
reflecting and supporting Māori culture in our schools and these matters are currently
considered by the Education Review Office (ERO), but more can be done.
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