Reclaiming the language of ‘Māorification' from the gutter
Last month a primary teacher's disparaging social media use of the term, criticising a NZ Teaching Council submission opposing the Government's failed Treaty Principles Bill, resulted in threats of deregistration.
The context was that the council made a submission on the bill on behalf of teachers, but it did not represent her view. She was 'fed up with the indoctrination going on in the education sector. The Māorification of school life is going too far.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
24 minutes ago
- NZ Herald
NZ industrial gas crisis: Rising costs force businesses to cut operations
'On average, prices have surged more than 100% in the past five years, with a quarter of businesses surveyed now paying $25 or more per gigajoule,' Schirr said. Most businesses surveyed (80%) have contracts expiring by 2027, creating a narrow window for necessary transitions to alternative energy sources, she said. 'If we do nothing, a major de-industrialisation crisis could escalate in the next two years, having serious and devastating consequences for suppliers and customers of gas-using businesses.' Schirr said only some businesses can transition to alternatives. 'More than 40% of businesses surveyed say transitioning to alternative fuels is not commercially viable within the next five years, with a further 20% uncertain,' she said. 'Even with a phase-out period of 15 years, only 75% of all respondents were confident of being able to transition. 'The remainder say that switching may be possible if barriers are removed – including the prohibitive cost of conversion, lack of proven alternative technologies, uncertainty about commercial viability and the high cost or difficulty of upgrading on-site supply infrastructure.' The BEC and Optima believe that for industries able to transition, a joint industry and government plan for a managed reduction and transition away from industrial gas supply is needed, aiding industries in adopting alternative technologies. Schirr urged the Government to 'use all the levers at its disposal' to help free up gas supplies and get more gas out of the ground. Increased investment in developing gas fields short-term was desperately needed to reduce the shortfall in supply, she said. 'For investors to feel confident, there needs to be bipartisan agreement, providing important stability and certainty.' The Government is in the throes of reversing the previous Labour Government's 2018 ban on oil and gas exploration in and has set aside a $200 million contingency fund to aid exploration. The last significant offshore gas discovery was Pohokura, off the Taranaki coast, in 2000. Jamie Gray is an Auckland-based journalist, covering the financial markets, the primary sector and energy. He joined the Herald in 2011.
RNZ News
24 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Clearing out the confusion over NCEA changes
Photo: 123RF It is billed as the most significant overhaul of NCEA in more than two decades, but there are questions being raised in the education industry about whether it is a bold step forward or a risky roll of the dice. The government's sweeping changes to the national qualification aim to lift standards, streamline the way students are assessed, and restore confidence. RNZ education correspondent John Gerritsen tells The Detail the bold move comes with both hope and hesitation. "There is a sort of sense that maybe this new system is trying to apply a way of working that might suit the kids in the leafy suburbs and not so much the kids in the poorer areas," he says. The changes should be in place by 2030. If you never understood NCEA, or you are unsure of what the changes involve, this is the podcast to listen to as Gerritsen takes us through what's going on. NCEA Level 1 - which typically takes place in Year 11 - will be abolished, with students being required to take English and mathematics and to sit a new 'Foundational Skills Award' test that documents achievement in literacy and numeracy. Two new qualifications will replace NCEA Level 2 and Level 3, for Year 12 and 13 students respectively. They will now qualify with the New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE) and the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE), respectively. Students will be required to take five subjects, and will have to pass at least four, to attain each certificate in Years 12 and 13. A to E pass-fail grades will replace the "excellent, merit, achieved, and not achieved" rankings. Supporters of the changes say this is exactly what NCEA needs. Employers have long voiced concerns that school leavers do not always have the basic skills needed for the workforce . With literacy and numeracy now the focus, that gap could start to close. And by reducing assessment overload, that means less pressure on students and more time for actual learning. Some parents also claim it should be easier for them to understand what their child is learning - and why. "On one level, you'd have to say, a qualification system that has been in place since 2002, so over 20 years, and still confuses people probably needs to be revised pretty heavily," says Gerritsen. "Some of the way the language, the way this has been described - it's been a bit obtuse, and people have struggled to understand it over the years." But for every person applauding the changes, another is sounding the alarm. Some principals and parents worry that standalone literacy and numeracy tests risk leaving behind students with learning differences or who are from non-English-speaking backgrounds. "There is a whole swathe of young people who struggle with exams," Gerritsen tells The Detail . "Some of them may have dyslexia, others may just simply have anxiety about doing exams. "There are also issues around increasing shifts to computer-based exams for students who don't have much to do with computers, so this is definitely going to become an issue." And then there is the equity question. Will all schools - urban, rural, well-resourced, or underfunded - be ready to deliver under this new scheme? Or will the gaps further widen? "When talking to principals from poorer communities, they're really worried that a system that has helped their communities achieve success is going to be got rid of and replaced with something with big question marks around it," Gerritsen says. "There are worries that young people from poorer backgrounds are going to be disadvantaged by this, and they will be less likely to leave school with some sort of qualification." The consultation process closes in less than five weeks. And when it comes to the future of every New Zealand student, there is no room for error. Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here . You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook
NZ Herald
10 hours ago
- NZ Herald
‘Deeply regret': Winston Peters' writes to United Nations after David Seymour letter
'We ... understand that you did not directly receive the letter to you by my colleague [REDACTED - likely to be David Seymour], but rather that you learned about its existence from reports in the media. 'We deeply regret this breakdown in protocol and appreciate this opportunity to put the record straight,' Peters said. It is not clear why Seymour's letter did not reach Barume. Peters went on to say that he understood Barume's letter to the Government did not convey his or the UN's official views, but merely sought the Government's response to concerns that had been raised by others with the United Nations, implying that Seymour's initial letter misunderstood this. The letter sets out the Government's position on the Regulatory Standards Bill and the Treaty settlement process and notes that the Government was 'committed to improving outcomes for all New Zealanders'. 'We are focused on reaching targets to improve outcomes in health, education, law and order, work and housing and on providing public services to all New Zealanders including working with iwi (tribes) and Māori to accelerate Māori economic growth and enable targeted investment in Maori social development.' Seymour was meant to be consulted on the new letter. The Herald understands he was consulted and wanted the contents of his original letter to be sent again, this time through Peter's' letter. Seymour did not see the final copy of the letter before it was sent, which did not include any of his earlier remarks. Peters included three appendices to his letter. One detailed New Zealand's relevant constitutional arrangements, including a section on MMP and the realities of coalition government. It also detailed the status of the Māori seats, the Bill of Rights Act, and the Waitangi Tribunal.
