62508 (2024). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister of Education

62508 (2024). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister of Education: How much, if anything, do each of the similar courses to the Te Ahu o te Reo Māori programme cost per annum, listed by course name and funder?

Hon Erica Stanford: The Ministry of Education (the Ministry) provides targeted funding for a range of supports through professional development and the development of te reo Māori resources for teachers and learners. While the Ministry does not provide any specific courses similar to Te Ahu o te reo Māori, there are significant numbers of te reo Māori learning opportunities at both beginner and advanced levels through the three Wānanga and other tertiary education services which the education workforce can enrol in. I received advice from officials that Te Ahu o te Reo Maori was significantly more expensive compared to other Te Reo Māori courses provided through the tertiary education system. There are also private providers and a number of tools available to support teachers who wish to develop their te reo capabilities on their own, such as Māori language books and apps. Further information on other courses can be accessed through the Wānanga and tertiary education services directly. The Ministry does not have any specific data on the number of te reo Māori courses available in teacher training institutions for teachers entering schools that do not provide Māori medium education, and is not aware of evaluations undertaken by other agencies. Further questions regarding courses in the tertiary system should be directed to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills. This is also my response to written parliamentary questions 62502 (2024), 62504 (2024), 62505 (2024), 62509 (2024) and 62510 (2024).