The Government’s Māori Education Action Plan: A Commitment to Better Outcomes

The Government has released its Māori Education Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy aimed at improving the educational outcomes of Māori students. The plan sets out the Government’s approach to deliver better results in the classroom and provide more opportunities for Māori students to succeed.

Key Commitments

The Māori Education Action Plan includes several key commitments, including:

* Developing resources to support te reo Māori teaching
* Implementing structured literacy and numeracy programs
* Exploring options for increasing the availability of te reo Māori education for teachers

These initiatives are designed to address the disparities in educational outcomes experienced by Māori students. According to Education Minister Erica Stanford, while many Māori have achieved excellent results, on average, Māori students experience worse outcomes.

Current Challenges

Stanford highlights several challenges faced by Māori students, including:

* Only 12 percent of Māori in English medium settings are at the curriculum benchmark in maths by the time they reach Year 8
* In Term 2, only 39 percent of students in English medium settings attended school regularly

These statistics emphasize the need for urgent action to address these disparities and provide more support for Māori students.

Early Actions and Future Plans

The plan outlines early actions to support the achievement of Māori students in English medium schools, strengthen Māori medium education, and work with leaders and representative groups of kaupapa Māori education. These actions will provide teachers with resources and professional development they need to bring the curriculum to life in their classrooms.

In the next phase of work, the Ministry of Education will explore options with the Social Investment Agency on alternative education and partner with iwi to strengthen whānau engagement. Stanford emphasized that this is just the start, and she will continue to engage with Māori education leaders and draw on the advice of her Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group.

Conclusion

The Māori Education Action Plan represents a significant commitment by the Government to addressing the disparities in educational outcomes experienced by Māori students. With its focus on developing resources, implementing structured programs, and strengthening whānau engagement, this plan has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of Māori students.

By working together with teachers, iwi, and representative groups, we can create a more inclusive and supportive education system that benefits all tamariki. As Stanford said, “This is just the start. I will draw on the advice and guidance of my Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group as we develop and augment this plan.”

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Education Minister Erica Stanford.
Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Credit: RNZ / Angus Dreaver