New Zealand’s largest education union has criticised the consultation period for the draft Māori-medium education curriculum, Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and its Years 0-10 learning areas, wāhanga ako.
“The three-month feedback window given to kaiako, tumuaki, whānau, and the wider education sector is half the time allotted for the draft New Zealand Curriculum consultation,” NZEI Te Riu Roa president Ripeka Lessels said.
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“This unequal treatment is unacceptable and demonstrates this Government’s blatant disregard for Māori.
“Ākonga Māori have been historically underserved and disadvantaged by systemic inequities. Failing to provide genuine consultation on the curriculum used in our kura further entrenches these failures,” Mrs Lessels said.
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“By rushing this timeline, the Government has failed to provide the genuine consultation required under Te Tiriti principles of partnership and participation. This directly threatens the protection of mātauranga Māori and the rights of our ākonga,” she added.
“True partnership cannot exist when one party is side lined by an impossible deadline. This process is a clear breach of Te Tiriti obligations and ignores the collective voice of our kura.”
The Ministry of Education released the draft Te Marautanga o Aotearoa framework and Year 0-10 wāhanga ako (Pūtaiao, Waiora, Toi Ihiihi, Hangarau, Ngā Reo, and Te Reo Pakeha) for consultation from 28 January until 24 April 2026. Te Ao Māori wāhanga ako has yet to be released.
According to the Ministry of Education, the consultation seeks opinions “to help shape Te Marautanga o Aotearoa into a curriculum that:
- ensures mokopuna are supported through learning that is well sequenced and supports progress.
- affirms the aspirations of whānau to shape mokopuna that are strong speakers of te reo Māori, holders of tikanga Māori, and champions of te ao Māori.
- prepares mokopuna to thrive in diverse and changing national and global contexts and adequately prepares them with the knowledge and skills to succeed through multiple career pathways.”
In contrast, the draft New Zealand Curriculum was given a significantly longer consultation period, running from 26 October 2025 until 24 April 2026.
