Confucius classroom will open doors for kura pupils

Pohiri at Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tawhiuau to welcome guests for the new confucius classroom.

For students at Murupara's Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tawhiuau, the "world is now their oyster" after the opening of the first indigenous confucius classroom at the school.

The classroom will teach Chinese language and culture - meaning children at the school now speak four different languages, with te reo Maori as their first language.

Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tawhiuau poutoko (principal) Pem Bird said the school was New Zealand's first Maori medium immersion school to have a confucius classroom.

Confucius classroom status provides official sanction from the Confucius Institute based at Victoria University Wellington, and importantly from Hanban, the head office in China.

Many dignitaries attended the official opening last month at the school, including the Chinese ambassador Wang Lutong, Maori Development Minister and Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell, Te Arawa kaumatua Sir Toby Curtis, Gisborne mayor Meng Foon and Confucius Institute Victoria director Wen Powell.

The kura also teaches the Japanese language, which with Mandarin was compulsory up to Year 8.

"We believe our tamariki will be able to take their Ngati Manawatanga to the world as global citizens equipped with the tools of other global languages and a culturally inclusive outlook to engage authentically, respectfully and with confidence with the world's peoples," Mr Bird said. "One language and one culture will not get our kids there, no way," he said.

Employment opportunities would be limitless.

"Mindboggling really when thinking about the possibilities, business, tourism, diplomacy, educational and so on. The world will be their oyster in reality."

Weka Kirk, who oversees the Asian language programmes at the school, said it was the fourth confucius classroom opened in the Bay of Plenty. Others were at Rotorua Boys' High School, Rotorua Lakes High School and Tauranga Intermediate.

New Zealand has 29 Confucius classrooms and there were 1000 in the world. Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tawhiuau was the first Maori immersion school to have Mandarin taught alongside te reo Maori.