11. TE URUROA FLAVELL (Māori Party—Waiariki) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
E pēhea e rerekē ai te noho o ngā tauira Māori i roto i ngā kura auraki nā runga i te aronga nui i te pūrongo Step Change ki te mātauranga ahurea, nā, kei te whakaae atu ia ki tā te ripoata “it is difficult to see how success for many students in New Zealand can be achieved without this component of learning”?
[How will the experience for Māori students in mainstream schools change as a result of the commitment to cultural competence outlined in the Step Change report; and does she agree that “it is difficult to see how success for many students in New Zealand can be achieved without this component of learning”?]
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) Link to this
I have already made the comment in the House that I have not made a decision about the report yet. But I completely agree with the member that commitment to cultural competence is crucial. I also agree with the member’s comments yesterday that “the same old, same old, been there, done that” approach cannot continue. That is why the Government has invested in a further roll-out of the Te Kōtahitanga programme and to He Kākano, a professional development programme for principals and school leaders to embed cultural competencies. Māori students in mainstream schools have much to gain from these programmes.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Ka ahatia ki ngā kura me ngā kaiako e koretake ana ki ngā āhuatanga mahi ahurea ahakoa tōna kaha ki te hāpai i ngā taumata mātauranga Māori?
[How will schools be held to account for teachers who are failing to demonstrate the cultural competence that contributes to success in Māori education?]
At the moment I would expect that that problem would be picked up by the Education Review Office’s regular review of schools and that the Ministry of Education would then provide support for that school to address the issue. The introduction of national standards means that from 2012 schools must report the progress and achievement of cohorts of students to their community and to the Ministry of Education, and this includes a specific requirement to report on Māori students’ progress. This will ensure that any problems can be addressed much earlier.
Hon Darren Hughes Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Opposition seeks your assistance. The Minister gave quite a detailed response—in fact, a written response—to a supplementary question from another political party about the Step Change report, a report that, at question No. 8, she said she had not had time to read—
Mr SPEAKERTe Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Ka ahatia e te Minita ki te whakautu i te āwangawanga o ētahi whānau e mea ana, kāore ētahi kaiako i te whai i te kaupapa o Te Kōtahitanga ēngari, kei te utua te kura ki te whakatinana i tēnei kaupapa nā runga i te hiahia ki te hiki i ngā taumata mātauranga Māori?
[What will the Minister do to respond to concerns from whānau that some teachers are refusing to participate in the Te Kōtahitanga project, yet the school has been funded to do so in a desire tolift Māori educational achievement?]
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. My point of order just goes to the relevance of that question to the primary question or to the supplementary question. Refusal to take part in a particular programme currently existing, and not related to this other than the fact that, for the Minister’s information, it is mentioned in the report is, I think, a long bow, and certainly, given the Minister’s lack of familiarity with the report—
No, the member must sit down now. That is not acceptable. I think it would be unfair for the Speaker to intervene and rule such a question out of order.
I have not heard those concerns before, and that information is of concern. I would appreciate some further information from the member, and I would be happy to discuss this with him further. But I can say that as a Government we expect a professional response to the issue of continued Māori underachievement in mainstream schools, and I would be really disappointed if some professionals are refusing to participate in what is a very effective project.