Maori students at risk, say teachers

Primary teachers are accusing the Associate Education Minister of ignoring the majority of Maori students who will be affected by national standards.

Maori Affairs minister Pita Sharples told a staff member in an email that he was concerned about the impact of league tables on children in Maori immersion schools.

NZEI spokeswoman Laures Park says that is all very well but the standards are only being trialled in kura kaupapa. She also concerned about the 80 per cent of Maori students who are in mainstream schools and will not have the opportunity to work through a similar process.

Ms Park says Maori students are most at risk of being labelled failures under the new testing and national standards need to be trialled in all schools.

- NEWSTALK ZB