Latest news with #Education Ministry
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Education minister over-reached on te reo in books, say principals
Erica Stanford was worried five-year-olds would be confused by Māori words in the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii Education Minister Erica Stanford has overstepped by excluding te reo Māori from future books in a series for learner readers, says the NZ Principals' Federation. A ministry document showed Stanford made the decision in October because she was worried five-year-olds would be confused by Māori words in the Education Ministry's Ready to Read Phonics Plus series. At the same time, Stanford ruled that one of the 27 books that already contained Māori words should be re-sized as a big book and would not be reprinted as a 'reader' that children could take home or read together in groups. She also told officials to ensure that Māori pronunciation was explicitly taught from children's second year at school - a first for the English curriculum. Stanford later told RNZ the decision about future books would affect only 12 books that were being developed to complete the series. But Principals' Federation president Leanne Otene said the minister was out of line. "I don't support any of these decisions. One book, 12 books, 20 books, future books - these decisions have not involved the sector. The people who should be making decisions about the resources that are used in classrooms are teachers. They're the ones who are selecting the books to teach the children how to read," she said. "I do not understand why the minister is hands-on in this. That's an overstep. It's an over-reach. The experts are the teachers in front of the children. They have always selected the readers and resources that meet the needs of the children in their class." Otene said the minister was doing five-year-olds a disservice if she thought they could not cope with Māori in their readers. "We are very disappointed and there will be some very upset whanau, parents of children who want their children to see themselves in these books, who want the language that they're using at home being used within the the learning environment," she said. "We're not just talking about Māori children here, we're talking about everyday Kiwi kids who are using Māori." Stanford said she disagreed with the federation. She said English words were not used in Māori language readers in Māori-immersion classes, so it made sense not to have Māori words in readers in English-medium classrooms. But Rawiri Wright from the runanganui for kura kaupapa Māori said that was not a fair comparison. "We are a total immersion Māori language setting for primary school, that is not my understanding of the majority of English-medium schools. "They say they are English-medium but they are supposed to be places where both official languages or all three official languages are recognised, so I don't think the minister's argument holds any water," he said. The Education Ministry said it had released 78 books in the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series, of which about 30 included kupu Māori (excluding the names of characters). "These titles will continue to be printed and made available into the future," it said. It said seven books currently in development would include Māori names and a further 12 further books were planned. "Once students have mastered decoding, te reo Māori continues to be supported through the Junior Journal series for Year 3 students and the School Journal series for Years 4-8 students," it said. The ministry said it also provided additional support for te reo Māori use within the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series, sending packs of te reo Māori Kete Cards to all schools. "These resources introduce the origins of the words, support correct pronunciation, and explain the sound-letter relationships of te reo Māori. "We are including appropriate information and guidance about te reo Māori vowel sounds and pronunciation in the English learning area of The New Zealand Curriculum from Year 2. This aligns with when te reo Māori increasingly appears in the Ministry's literacy resources, such as the Junior Journal and School Journal series." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Malay Mail
13-07-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
Malaysia to share child digital safety and youth mental health push at UN convention in Geneva
KUCHING, July 13 — Malaysia will participate in the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, Switzerland, to present its initiatives to address digital safety and mental health challenges among children. Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the participation would allow Malaysia to share its ongoing and planned efforts, while also gaining input from other countries. 'I often highlight the ministry's role in raising awareness through advocacy programmes in schools, targeting students, teachers and parents to educate them on the risks and impact of children's exposure to social media,' she said. Speaking to reporters after attending the Kuching District Education Office Excellence Awards 2024 ceremony here today, Nancy said the ministry is working with the Education Ministry to implement programmes addressing youth mental health issues, including a dedicated initiative that provides young people a platform to express their concerns. 'We have trained counsellors available, and that is why I continue to promote the 15999 helpline, which connects individuals to relevant professionals, especially for mental health-related issues, not only among children but across the community,' she said. Nancy added that the One-Stop Social Support Centres are receiving encouraging response and have been expanded following requests from various quarters, including government agencies, the private sector and NGOs. 'For those requiring further treatment, arrangements will be discussed and coordinated to ensure appropriate care is provided,' she said. — Bernama
