Source: NZ Principals Federation
Open Letter follows:
Hon Erica Stanford
Minister of Education
Parliament Buildings
Wellington 6011
New Zealand
Tēnā koe Minister Stanford
Re: Unwavering Commitment of New Zealand Area Schools to Te Tiriti o Waitangi
The New Zealand Area Schools Association (NZASA), representing schools across Aotearoa that serve students from Years 0 to 13 and are central to their communities, is writing to you today to express our profound concern and unwavering opposition to the directive to remove the statutory requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The Area School Context
Area Schools occupy a unique and crucial position in the education landscape. We are the educational hub for many rural and remote communities, catering to students from their first day of schooling through to their final examinations. This unique context means our schools must embody a consistent, comprehensive, and culturally responsive learning environment for every student (tamariki and rangatahi) across their entire educational journey.
For our schools, Te Tiriti o Waitangi is not an optional add-on; it is the foundational fabric that enables us to successfully operate in a bicultural environment and serve our diverse communities. Our commitment reflects the very real and long-standing partnership with local Iwi and Hapū who are integral to our operations.
Advocating for the Partnership, Participation, and Protection
The removal of the explicit obligation to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi sends a damaging message to our students, our staff, and our communities that the principles of partnership, participation, and protection are negotiable.
We strongly contend that upholding these principles is essential to achieving the very equitable outcomes the
Government seeks:
– Partnership (Tino Rangatiratanga): Requires boards to genuinely consult and partner with Tangata Whenua, respecting the self-determination of Māori, and incorporating Mātauranga Māori into strategic decision-making.
– Participation: Ensures that all students, especially ākonga Māori, see themselves and their culture reflected in the curriculum and the school environment, leading directly to higher engagement, better attendance, and improved academic success.
– Protection: Obligates schools to actively protect Te Reo Māori and Tikanga Māori as taonga (treasures), making bicultural education an inherent strength of our system.
Our Position and Call to Action
Removing this objective is not a practical clarification; it is an ideological step that undermines the legal and moral responsibility of the Crown to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the education system. It creates an unnecessary barrier to achieving equity for Māori learners, which has been established through decades of educational research and practice.
The NZASA executive is unanimous in its commitment to continue giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in our governance and strategic planning across all our member schools.
We urge you to:
– Immediately reverse the decision to remove the requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi from the Education and Training Act.
– Reaffirm the Crown’s commitment to Te Tiriti as the essential foundation of a high-quality, inclusive, and successful education system for all in Aotearoa.
We stand in solidarity with the National Iwi Chairs Forum and the wider education sector in opposing this change. We request an opportunity to meet with you to discuss the vital role of Area Schools in honouring the Māori-Crown relationship.
Ngā mihi nui
Louisa Barham
Tumuaki / Principal: Te Kura a Rohe o Whaingaroa / Raglan Area School
Perehitini / President: Ngā Kura Takiwā o Aotearoa / NZ Area Schools Association.
