Rotorua principals open to te reo idea

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Rotorua education leaders welcome the idea of students learning te reo in New Zealand schools, but worry about the resources required to implement it.

The Greens this week unveiled a new policy to make te reo Maori a "universal core subject alongside English and maths" in all state schools from Years 1 to 10.

Labour says it is also "open to the idea", although its formal policy will be only to strengthen training in te reo for all primary school teachers.

Mokoia Intermediate principal Deborah Epp said te reo was a great gift for children.

"I can't comment on how feasible it will be for other schools, but within the Rotorua community we have great support. I am fortunate to have a couple of teachers who can speak te reo but for a lot of the country those kind of opportunities are not available, so opportunities to support teachers need to be in place."

Kaharoa School principal Warwick Moyle said his school valued te reo but the challenge of the policy would be resourcing it.

"We would support it but it has to be resourced properly and the expertise needs to be there.

"It's tough learning a new language so it's important we have enough trained teachers and the resources to train our teachers."

Rotorua Lakes High School principal Bruce Walker said he liked the idea, but could not see how it could be made compulsory at the moment.

"The Greens are expressing a good notion, but politically and resource-wise, we are not ready for it because we just don't have the teachers. To go there we have to have the good teachers and the programmes, and we don't have enough."

Rotorua Boys' High School principal Chris Grinter would "totally support" the policy.

"We have more Maori boys here than any high school in New Zealand so this is entirely compatible with us."

Mr Grinter saw huge benefits for all young New Zealanders, not just Maori, to learn at least two languages for their intellectual development.

Rotorua Girls' High School principal Ally Gibbons welcomed the shift in thinking and pointed out it made sense to learn the indigenous language of the country.

"Te reo already permeates our society in a variety of ways including place names and names of students. It's only right that we learn to say these names correctly and have a greater understanding of what their names mean. Every school can achieve this."

Waiariki MP and Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell said the long term benefits included a country less racist, and more embracing of others.

"There's no greater expression of our uniqueness as New Zealanders than te reo Maori and we should embrace our collective responsibility to ensure its survival, rather than fear its use."