Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Sharples has responsibility for Maori education programme

Updated at 10:35 am on 8 December 2008

Associate Education Minister Pita Sharples has been given responsibility for expanding a programme aimed at changing the way Maori secondary school pupils are treated in class.

Education Minister Anne Tolley last month told a conference of teachers and researchers involved in Te Kotahitanga that the new Government is determined to see a larger number of schools involved.

Next year 33 schools will be part of the programme.

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples told Waatea News the programme instructs teachers about Maori students, their culture and their expectations, and pushes them to aim higher with Maori students.

"That will move a lot of Maori in particular out of the area of dysfunction and allow them to succeed," he said.

Pita Sharples says schools need to become places Maori children and their parents want to be involved in.

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