Fresh curriculum for Maori

Maori are to get their own school curriculum to reflect a "Maori world view" next year after the Government has completed a re-write of the current standard draft curriculum to reflect Maori teaching.

Education Minister Steve Maharey said the ministry was developing a Maori version of the draft curriculum for schools, which would be released next July and would be "completely scene setting".

The draft curriculum which all schools will follow was released for consultation in August. It is expected to be introduced in September next year.

Mr Maharey said the Maori version - which would apply in Maori immersion schools and classes - would be a re-write of the usual version.

"There won't just be a translation of the curriculum, it's being completely rewritten from a Maori teaching point of view, rather than just translated word for word. They are reworking the whole thing from a model of teaching and learning that will suit a Maori world view."

Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu has criticised the current draft curriculum for schools, saying it was so empty of bicultural references that it "could as easily have been written for Australian school children rather than this country's next generation."

Ngai Tahu's Mark Solomon said Maori language and concepts were excluded from almost all curriculum areas and references to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi removed. He said it lacked explicit direction and could result in a lower priority for Maori content and values.

"Schools need help to recognise what's important to create future citizens. That can't be done in a cultural vacuum."

Mr Maharey said about 15,000 people were involved in developing the draft curriculum, including Maori teachers and a Maori reference group.