Māori Language Education Policy: Different Outcomes for Different Groups?

Abstract

This paper considers the provision of education opportunities for learners in the compulsory sector to develop their ability to communicate in te reo Māori. While policy suggests these opportunities exist, in practice, the situation is complex and the provision of these opportunities tends to be uneven. This is, in part, due to the challenges associated with limited funding and resourcing, but it is also the outcome of a policy distinction made along ethnic lines about the purpose of Māori language learning for different groups. For learners who are Māori, the purpose is clearly language acquisition while for non-Māori the purpose appears to be framed around the goal of developing tolerability for the Māori language. The implementation and consequences of this policy distinction are explored here, and it is argued that a central issue facing Māori language revitalisation in the future is the ongoing unresolved tension between the view of Māori language as a language for everyone, or primarily for those of Māori ethnicity.