New Zealand is facing a growing storm of criticism after its government decided to remove Māori words from some early-reader schoolbooks. This move, critics say, undermines decades of work to revitalise the Indigenous language.
The Ministry of Education confirmed that in its new Ready to Read Phonics Plus series, a set of 78 books designed to teach five-year-olds how to read, Māori words will be largely excluded, except for characters’ names. One beloved title, At the Marae, will no longer be printed in its small take-home format because it contains six Māori words deemed “too difficult” for children to decode. Instead, it will only be available in a full-sized classroom version to be read aloud by teachers.
Education Minister Erica Stanford has defended the policy, describing it as part of a wider “structured literacy approach” that prioritises phonics and sound-based learning in the crucial early stages of reading. An internal ministry report argued that mixing different writing systems could “confuse learners” and slow their ability to master English phonetics.
Stanford noted that Māori educators had requested that Māori-language decodable books not be mixed with English, suggesting the same principle should apply in reverse. She insisted the government remains committed to language revitalisation, pointing to increased investment in Māori-only reading materials.
The policy has nevertheless provoked a backlash from Māori academics, school principals, and authors who see the decision as a dangerous precedent.
Dr Awanui Te Huia of Victoria University’s Māori Studies Department called the move “harmful from a cultural identity perspective”, arguing that children are capable of learning simple Māori words alongside English. With long waitlists for Māori-immersion schools, most Māori children enter mainstream education, making exposure to the language in everyday classrooms vital.
The Māori Principals’ Association, Te Akatea, went further, describing the decision as “a direct attack on our language, a dismissal of our culture, and an assault on our identity as Māori.” They warned that stripping Māori from English-medium classrooms denies 97% of Māori children outside immersion schools the chance to engage with their heritage.
The controversy is unfolding against a broader backdrop of government rollbacks on policies aimed at advancing Māori wellbeing. Since taking office, the coalition has reduced the use of Māori in public services and rejected initiatives described as “race-based.”
Critics argue that the removal of Māori from schoolbooks is part of a deliberate retreat. “It’s not just one book,” said Leanne Otene, president of the Principals’ Federation. “It’s part of a concerning pattern of removing te reo Māori from government services across the board. Our children are growing up watching their government treat te reo Māori as less important.”
For decades, New Zealand has been hailed internationally as a leader in Indigenous language revitalisation. Yet experts like Te Huia warn that government pushback risks undoing hard-won progress and leaving the language stagnant.
While the Ministry insists the changes are about evidence-based learning, the backlash highlights a deeper question: whether education policies should prioritise efficiency in teaching English, or also embrace the role of schools in preserving and promoting Māori identity.
As the debate intensifies, one thing is clear: decisions made in the classroom today could shape not only literacy outcomes, but also the cultural landscape of New Zealand for generations to come.