08-08-2025
Māori Principals And Leaders Condemn Ministry Of Education's Decision To Remove At The Marae From Schools
Te Akatea Incorporated represents hundreds of Māori principals and leaders throughout Aotearoa. We express our collective outrage and deep disappointment at the Ministry of Education's decision not to reprint the small student reader versions of At the Marae, citing the book's high use of te reo Māori. This decision is a direct attack on our language, a dismissal of our culture, and an assault on our identity as Māori.
Our members draw a direct parallel between this action and historic acts of colonisation, such as the Education Ordinance Act of 1847 and the Native Schools Act of 1867. Both acts were designed to eradicate te reo Māori in schools. Removing and resources that celebrate and normalise our language is no different; it is a continuation of those oppressive policies.
The Treaty of Waitangi Act was introduced in 1975. This means that for 50 years, Māori and non-Māori educators have worked tirelessly to revitalise te reo Māori and embed it in our schools. This work aligns with Te Tiriti o Waitangi and anti-racist, equity-focused educational practice. Books like At the Marae are vital tools that allow children—97% of Māori in English-medium settings, and many non-Māori who embrace the opportunity—to see, read, and speak our language.
We view this decision and the decision Minister Stanford made last year to remove $30 million worth of funding for Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori as acts of educational violence. These practices uphold white supremacist ideology, by sending the message that English is superior and te reo Māori is inferior. These are acts of racism, cultural suppression and are deliberate attempts to recolonise our education system. These acts cause immense harm.
We call on the Ministry of Education and the Minister to immediately reverse this decision and reinstate the printing of the small reader versions of At the Marae. Our members would see the reversal of this decision as a reaffirmation of the Ministry's commitment to protecting and promoting te reo Māori as a taonga guaranteed under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
