Two years ago the Waitangi Tribunal found that successive governments had breached the Treaty of Waitangi by systemically failing to fund and support Kohanga Reo's Maori language strategy, and called on government to apologise for its failings and appoint an independent adviser to oversee an urgent programmeto overhaul policy, increase participation, improve quality, increase funding, and provide the support necessary for upgrade and maintenance of Kohanga facilities.
Last year the independent advisor, Michael Cullen, tabled his report, which supported the Tribunal's rulings and recommended that Kohanga should have its own legislation, funding and qualifications framework.
And yet all of that good work has been paralysed by allegations of misspending by a national Kohanga Reo Trust subsidiary, and an investigation that looked at something else - what a complete waste of time that was!
I'm gutted that the good work of Kohanga has been put on hold. I'm gutted that the talk about poor governance and bad management has created major divisions within the Kohanga Reo movement. I'm gutted that people who are busting their ***** out there to keep the fires burning are still struggling to get by because funding, maintenance, and management issues are not being addressed. And I am angry that at the bottom of it all, our kids are missing out because adults have screwed up.
There is a level of unhappiness and mistrust within the movement that must be dealt with, and widespread concern that the leadership has lost touch with the people.
It's time to clear house and let new trustees rebuild the faith of the whanau in Kohanga Reo.
I recommend that senior trustees of the National Trust step down from the trust and allow new trustees to run the affairs of the Kohanga Reo movement, and that a new strategy be adopted to ensure Kohanga Reo is seen to be more inclusive, more positive, more proactive, and more welcoming to new whanau and new tamariki.
