Charter schools will give Maori more input into a school model they can adapt to suit their children, the chairman of the Iwi Education Authority says.
Toby Curtis, a Te Arawa kaumatua, defended the controversial charter schools model, saying Maori under-achievement was a big problem charter schools could improve.
Lawspaving the way for the establishment of charter schools was passed by Parliament on Tuesday.
The school model will allow businesses and community groups to run the schools, and with less regulation than other public schools.
This means there will be more flexibility on how these schools are run and what is taught and they will be state funded according to results, with high accountability for raising educational achievement.
Dr Curtis said protests against charter schools were hypocritical when Maori underachievement was such a big problem in mainstream schooling.
"How dare they deign to even cry foul when the disgrace that is Maori underachievement continues to fester, a blight on our education system," he said.
