Māori Education Investment
Budget 2022 provides significant support for the success of ākonga Māori.
Investment across a range of areas
There is investment across a range of areas critical for Māori education, with a specific boost for funding targeted towards the growth and development of te reo Māori, in line with the Government’s vision for revitalisation set out in Maihi Karauna(external link).
This investment builds on significant investment in recent years. Successive budgets have increased funding rates for Kōhanga Reo, invested in property, funded new teaching and learning resources and created funding pools to support Wānanga research aspirations.
$47.3 million boost in operating funding to increase Māori Language Programme Funding
This funding will increase Māori Language Programme (MLP) Funding at the highest level of immersion (level 1), with funding going directly to kura. It provides a 50% increase to the level 1 rate over two years, meaning that the current rate will be doubled from 2025 onward.
How will kura receive this funding?
Increases to the MLP level 1 rate will be part of the standard process for increasing operational grant rates. New rates will come into effect on 1 January 2020.
$105 million capital investment in Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori Property
This capital funding is provided to ensure Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori kura have good quality classrooms and to purchase new sites for kura.
What will this fund?
Funding will be used for the redevelopment of three kura. Funding will purchase land for up to six kura currently teaching out of temporary sites. It will also be used for planning and design work for selected kura needing redevelopment.
$10 million in operating funding to establish Te Tahua o Te Reo Kairangi in the tertiary sector
This funding supports language revitalisation and addresses workforce needs through the growth of te reo Māori speakers.
Te Tahua o Te Reo Kairangi (the High Proficiency Fund) will support the development of new or existing programmes targeting higher levels of te reo Māori proficiency, with the aim of growing the number of highly proficient te reo Māori speakers and supporting sector workforce capabilities.
What is Te Tahua o Te Reo Kairangi and how will funding be allocated?
Te Tahua O Te Reo Kairangi (the High Proficiency Fund) is a newly established fund that will be another lever that the Government can use to support the outcomes of Maihi Karauna, Tau Mai Te Reo, Ka Hikitia and the Tertiary Education Strategy.
The Fund is intended to support the development of programmes that support high levels of te reo Māori language proficiency, for example as outlined in Te Taura Whiri I te reo Māori (Māori Language Commission) proficiency framework. The fund is not intended to be the only source of funding that providers use for the development and delivery of programmes, but rather to support providers.
Final decisions on operational design and criteria for the fund will be made by TEC in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. All aspects of the fund will be guided by the governance principles dictated in the funding determination.
$5 million support package for Iwi-Maōri scholarships
Funding will support and grow the Māori education workforce. This initiative permanently establishes the existing pilot, set up through Budget 2019.
What does this funding do?
This initiative partners with Iwi-Māori to grow the Māori teaching workforce (including te reo Māori and Māori medium teachers) by supporting uri/descendants who show the right qualities to become teachers through scholarships. Scholarships include access to mentoring and other support needed.
Around 50 teaching scholarships will be delivered each year. The exact number will be dependent on the support needed by each recipient.
$8 million operating funding for the Education Review Office
This will enable the Education Review Office to lead the evaluation and monitoring of te reo Māori outcomes in English medium schools. It will help us to signpost and evaluate te reo Māori quality provision for learners and their whānau to enable greater chances for good language and broader education outcomes.
$9.35 million in operating funding for responding to Te Pae Roa feedback
This investment will support the recommendations from Te Pae Roa consultations on Māori-medium education and Kaupapa Māori pathways. It will ensure we are responsive to the priorities of Māori communities, whānau, hapū and iwi.
These funds will progress the needs recognised by Māori within the Māori medium education and kaupapa Māori pathways work programme over the next four years.
$30.15 million for developing to reo Matatini, pāngarau and aromatawai research, tools and resources critical to building the workforce
This new funding is dedicated resource to develop te reo matatini, pāngarau and aromatawai research, tools and resources. These are critical components in supporting learners to succeed and making schools and kura engaging places learners want to be.
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