Teacher supply package to boost te reo Māori teachers

The Government’s $9.5 million teacher supply package will support more te reo Māori and Māori medium teachers into classrooms, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis says.

The Minister for Education Chris Hipkins today announced the one-off investment to address immediate pressures on teacher supply.

“Principals have been telling us there is a shortage of both te Reo teachers and Māori medium teachers. This is limiting schools’ ability to fully support Māori students and restricts options for parents wanting their children to learn through the Māori language,” Mr Davis says.

“Several initiatives in the package, including the extension of the Voluntary Bonding Scheme, the expanded Teach First NZ programme and funding the Teacher Education Refresh programme, will support more te reo Māori teachers into our schools and more Māori medium teachers into our wharekura.”

Currently, eligibility for the Voluntary Bonding Scheme is limited to decile one or severely isolated state and state-integrated schools. Among other changes, the programme will now be expanded nationally to include teachers of te reo Māori and all teachers in Māori medium.

The Teach First NZ programme has been successful at recruiting high-quality teachers, including teachers of te reo Māori. It will be extended by a further 35 places in 2019. 

“I’m also optimistic that our decision to fund the Teacher Education Refresh in the first six months of 2018 will incentivise some of our te reo Māori and Māori medium teachers who have taken time out to do other things to return to the classroom and support this very important kaupapa,” Mr Davis says.

“We know Māori students do much better when education reflects and values their identity, language and culture, whether this is in Māori or English medium schools. That’s why getting high-quality te reo Māori teachers into these kura is a priority for this Government.

“The Government is also committed to a future where New Zealanders from every background have been given the opportunity to learn to use te reo Māori in everyday conversations. Building the number of teachers who can support our young people to do so is an important first step.”

More information on the teacher supply package is available at: http://www.education.govt.nz/teacher-supply

Minister for Education Chris Hipkins’ press release is available at:

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/95-million-boost-teacher-supply