What is the status of any considerations given to staffing-based support for structured literacy in Māori Medium for 2026, and is this expected to be on par with the support English Medium structured literacy receives; if not, why not? and 5 other questions

Answer

This Government is taking decisive action to raise achievement for all learners, including Māori learners, by lifting literacy outcomes across both English-medium and Māori-medium education. We are strengthening teaching and learning in both English and te reo Māori because every child deserves access to high-quality, structured learning that sets them up for success. Through our Māori education action plan, this Government is focused on closing the equity gap by ensuring ākonga receive clear, evidence-informed teaching, stronger system support, and consistent expectations nationwide. In Budget 2024 and Budget 2025, this Government introduced and funded new national services for Māori medium education, including Hāpai Ākonga - a brand-new service delivering targeted support for structured pānui, tuhituhi, and kōrero across Māori medium pathways. Hāpai Ākonga provides structured and sequenced learning specifically designed for teaching through te reo Māori and is delivered face-to-face by specialist practitioners. The service provides intensive, tailored support to ākonga not yet meeting expected levels in foundational literacy, while also equipping kaiako with practical strategies to sustain learner progress during and after participation. This Government has also funded and developed new structured literacy resources, Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā and Hihira Weteoro, ensuring Māori medium education benefits from the same structure and evidence-informed approaches being implemented across English-medium education. Hihira Weteoro is the first Ministry of Education-developed, standardised phonics check for ākonga in Years 0–2 learning through te reo Māori, supporting early identification of literacy needs and strengthening foundational pānui skills. Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā provides a structured and sequenced approach to teaching pānui, tuhituhi, and kōrero for Years 0–8. The Ministry is also updating Te Marautanga o Aotearoa alongside The New Zealand Curriculum to provide greater clarity, coherence, and progression across oral language, reading, and writing. Supporting resources - including decodable texts, national guidance, and sequenced teaching tools - are being developed for kaiako across both Māori medium and English medium pathways. National professional learning and development (PLD) supports kura and schools to implement curriculum updates confidently and embed structured literacy approaches in classroom practice. Hāpai Ākonga, Hihira Weteoro, and Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā are all new initiatives funded and delivered by this Government, with investment covering national resource development, professional learning, and direct support for participating kura and schools. All kura and Māori medium settings can access PLD aligned to these initiatives and to the updated Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and associated curriculum resources. Together, these initiatives strengthen the teaching and learning of pānui, tuhituhi, and kōrero in te reo Māori by ensuring literacy teaching is structured, evidence-informed, culturally grounded, and aligned with clear national expectations. This work forms a key part of the Government’s Māori education action plan, supporting improved learner outcomes, raising achievement for all learners, and helping close longstanding equity gaps by ensuring consistent literacy practice across Māori medium education nationwide. This response addresses Written Parliamentary Questions 3556, 3557, 3558, 3560, and 3561 (2026).