Over 1000 Schools Reaffirm Their Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

More than one thousand schools across Aotearoa have confirmed that they will continue to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi in their daily work. This decision comes only weeks after Minister of Education Erica Stanford removed the legal requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti.

School Communities Take a Clear Stand

A total of 1007 school boards have now issued public statements. Each board confirmed that Te Tiriti will remain part of their plans and actions.
Leaders say this shows strong unity among school communities.

The National Iwi Chairs Forum and several national education groups say the Minister is out of touch with educators and whānau. They reminded the Government that education is the place where Te Tiriti becomes real for every generation.

Concerns About the Minister’s Decision

Educators were not consulted before the change. The Ministry of Education warned in its own documents that removing the Te Tiriti requirement could damage the Māori–Crown relationship.

In June, Stanford only proposed reducing Te Tiriti to a lower priority. Many educators opposed that plan. Weeks later, she removed the objective completely.

Soon after the June consultation, Stanford told broadcaster Sean Plunket that she did not want to talk about the Treaty. Plunket then suggested removing Treaty content from education. The Minister replied, “In one go.”
Educators say this shows that she was not serious about engaging with the community.

Educators Warn of Harm to Māori Students

NZEI Te Riu Roa president Ripeka Lessels says schools must keep Te Tiriti in their responsibilities. She believes schools often stop teaching Treaty content when it is not protected by law.

Education groups fear that anti-Māori groups may now pressure schools to avoid te reo Māori or kaupapa Māori learning. This could expose Māori students to more exclusion and racism.

UNICEF has ranked Aotearoa poorly for educational inequality. The Children’s Commissioner also found rising bullying and racism. Educators say Te Tiriti-supported teaching helps create safe, inclusive, and respectful learning spaces.

Why Te Tiriti Was Added in 2020

Te Tiriti became a school board objective in 2020 after a major review of the Tomorrow’s Schools system. The review said that schools needed clear guidance about Crown responsibilities.

The new requirement sat alongside the Human Rights Act and the Bill of Rights. It helped boards understand how to create fair and supportive learning environments.

Education adviser Kārena Ngata says Te Tiriti is important because educational inequality becomes inequality in society. She believes strong objectives help schools break long-term cycles of disadvantage.

Schools Can Keep Te Tiriti Plans Until 2027

There is an important detail for school boards. A select committee recommended delaying the date for new school strategic plans. The Minister accepted this change.

Schools now have until 2027 before they must replace their current plans.
This means their current Te Tiriti-based plans remain valid for at least one more year.

Education leaders say this gives schools time and hope. Boards do not need to remove Te Tiriti from their plans now. They can continue to follow their existing pathway while the political environment changes.

About Aotearoa Educators Collective

Aotearoa Educators Collective is made up of teachers, principals, academics, and education leaders. The group promotes progressive and evidence-based ideas in schooling. It is not linked to any political party.

This article includes information sourced from Scoop.co.nz.