20 Oct 2008

Low response to Maori teaching incentives

5:18 pm on 20 October 2008

Financial incentives to encourage more Maori to take up teaching careers have not produced a high enrollment rate.

The Ministry of Education is offering $10,000 for TeachNZ scholarships for Maori language teachers and an allowance of $30,000 for fluent te reo speakers with previous experience.

Despite the subsidy, Waatea News reports that only 28 people enrolled this year for the Bachelor of Education Huarahi Maori.

Auckland University Te Korowai Atawhai academic support service manager Mere Forbes says many older Maori students have family commitments that clash with study.