Flavell 'shattered' that Treaty principle 'least evident'
te-pati-maori
Sat Jul 23 2011 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Flavell 'shattered' that Treaty principle 'least evident'
Saturday, 23 July 2011, 8:24 pm
Press Release: The Maori Party
Flavell 'shattered' that Treaty principle 'least evident'
Education spokesperson for the Maori Party, Te Ururoa Flavell, is ‘shattered’ by the findings of the recent Education Review Report, which reveals that the Treaty of Waitangi principle[1] is the ‘least evident principle’ being followed in the school curriculum.
“In 43 of the 109 schools surveyed the Treaty principle was the least evident of the eight principles of the New Zealand Curriculum”.
“It is not as if the Treaty of Waitangi is a new principle in the curriculum” said Mr Flavell. “The New Zealand Curriculum Framework (1993) included the principle that The New Zealand Curriculum recognises the significance of the Treaty of Waitangi. The problem has always been in the implementation”.
“It is hardly breaking news then, that the Education Review Office recommends that schools still need to strategically address, through the curriculum, the Treaty of Waitangi principle”.
“But what is positive about today’s report is that it recommends that the Ministry of Education must support school leaders and teachers to develop deeper understanding of the principles identified as being least evident and least enacted”.
“Today’s report provided a clear benchmark in reporting on schools where the Treaty of Waitangi principle was evident in the curriculum. In these schools :
• Te reo me ona tikanga Maori was valued and promoted at many levels of the school (trustees, teachers, students) through powhiri, karakia and kapa haka;
• Students had opportunities to visit local marae
• Relationships were established with local iwi that supported students’ learning
•
“The Maori Party looks forward to explicit support being developed to support schools in appreciating and delivering on the Treaty principle as providing our students with an understanding of the Treaty as the foundation of our nation”.
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“We are also very pleased that the work being advanced by the Maori Party, in developing Tataiako cultural competency standards for educators will be available to support schools addressing another area of weakness – the expression of cultural diversity”.
[1] Treaty of Waitangi principle : The curriculum acknowledges the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the bicultural foundations of Aotearoa New Zealand. All students have the opportunity to acquire knowledge of te reo me ona tikanga.
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