Turia praises transformational potential of kohanga reo
te-pati-maori
Thu Oct 18 2012 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Turia praises transformational potential of kohanga reo
Thursday, 18 October 2012, 9:10 am
Press Release: The Maori Party
The Hon Tariana Turia
Maori Party Co-Leader | MP for Te Tai Hauauru Thursday 18 October 2012
Turia praises the 'transformational potential' of kohanga reo movement '
Co-leader of the Māori Party, Tariana Turia has acknowledged the 'courage and the foresight demonstrated by the pioneers of the kōhanga reo movement, who have done so much to protect and promote te reo Māori as a living language'.
Thirty years after the foundation of the first kōhanga reo, the Waitangi Tribunal has described them as the “principal institutional vehicle for passing on te reo me ngā tikanga Māori from older generations to the youngest”. "I am so proud of this kaupapa for the unique, whānau-based environment that has been established for our all mokopuna to grow, nurtured in te reo" said Mrs Turia.
Matua Rautia : The Report on the Kōhanga Reo Claim refers to Ministry of Education data that mokopuna emerging from immersion education are achieving university entrance level qualifications at a level similar or higher than others in mainstream education.
But it also points out the gaps in terms of the Crown being able to fully appreciate the important results that kōhanga reo provide for te reo transmission and whānau development; and what the Tribunal calls the ‘pressing urgency’ to address this.
“The Tribunal reveals it is surprised that sufficient evaluative data have not been collected to document the success of kōhanga reo in the high quality intergenerational transmission of te reo” said Mrs Turia.
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"The Māori Party notes the support of the Tribunal for further consideration to take place of a key milestone in the Māori Party’s Relationship Accord with National, namely to consider recognising the unique status of kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa Māori, kura-a-iwi, wānanga and Māori medium initiatives through their own statutory legislation’".
"We take very seriously the Tribunal’s finding that the Trust and kōhanga reo have suffered significant prejudice from the Crown".
“The five recommendations are a pragmatic and principled approach towards achieving effective transmission of te reo Māori by re-developing a relationship between Crown agencies and the Trust”.
"Matua Rautia is a sterling endorsement of the transformational potential that kōhanga reo have inspired in so many whānau who may otherwise lost our most precious taonga; the gift of language".
"The Māori Party acknowledges all those who have been part of this kaupapa – who have shared the gift of te reo as the absolute expression of Whānau Ora in practice. We are indebted to their vision”.
ENDS
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