Luxon Government Can No Longer Mask Racism In Education Reforms – Greens
The Green Party welcomes the urgent inquiry by the Waitangi Tribunal on the Education and Training Amendment Act and Te Mātaiaho (WAI 3553).
“The hearings were clear: the Crown breached its Tiriti obligations. The Government can no longer mask the racism in its education reforms,” says Green Party spokesperson for education Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan.
The Tribunal heard from iwi including Ngāti Hine and Te Kapotai, and education leaders from across the sector.
They expressed their concerns about the removal of Te Tiriti o Waitangi from section 127 of the Education and Training Act, and the changes to Te Mātaiaho (New Zealand curriculum).
Te Akatea, New Zealand School Boards Association, NZEI Te Riu Roa, PPTA Te Wehengarua, and Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa were all critical of the changes.
“The Ministry had no evidence that removing the Te Tiriti clauses meets the Crown’s obligations, and no genuine engagement with hapū and iwi took place. Yet the Minister ignored their advice raising concerns about this constitutional breach,” says Dr Xu-Nan.
Green Party spokesperson for Māori education, Hūhana Lyndon, expressed concern about the lack of engagement over the changes.
“Te Mātaiaho was whitewashed without genuine engagement with tangata whenua and was rewritten by a select few,” says Lyndon.
“We are deeply concerned about the long-term impact of a whitewashed education system that will undermine the real culture of Aotearoa that all New Zealanders value.”
“Te Tiriti is the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand. Its place in our education system is not a nice-to-have, but a requirement.”
“The Government clearly does not know Aotearoa’s own history, and knows even less about how Te Tiriti o Waitangi contributes to student learning and outcomes.”
“The Green Party is committed to reinstating Te Tiriti o Waitangi in section 127 of the Education and Training Act, re-centring Te Mātaiaho to its original intent and direction, and halting any changes to the curriculum.”
“Genuine engagement with the sector and iwi is needed to restore the rightful place of Te Tiriti and the mana of our mokopuna in our education system,” says Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan.
