The Ministry of Education is working to provide a range of distance learning options for ākonga and whānau in reo Māori and Maori medium education settings.

Keeping te reo Māori flowing in our kainga during times where we can’t connect as usual is paramount. The distance learning package aims to offer many options to engage in te reo Māori educational content using online material, hardcopy resources and live tv.

Online learning – Ki te Ao Mārama

Ki te Ao Mārama is a new online space on kauwhatareo.govt.nz that provides whānau with practical advice, guidance and resources to use with their tamariki. It’s also intended to support the learning plan that kaiako may have prepared for their ākonga.

The site is available in both te reo Māori and English, and has a range of learning materials to cover ākonga in kōhungahunga, kura, wharekura, and te reo Māori immersion settings. The content includes activity templates, planning guides, links to helpful resources and access to storybooks, all conveniently arranged by age group.

You can also visit Ki te Ao Mārama to check out news items and get information about other aspects of our distance learning package for reo Māori learners.

New informative and educational content will continue to be added to Ki te Ao Mārama on a regular basis.

Live TV – Mauri Reo, Mauri Ora

The Ministry of Education is committed to making distance learning accessible for all ākonga and whānau including those who may not have ready access to devices or the internet.

They have partnered with Māori Television to provide educational te reo Māori programmes to ensure that learning in and through te reo Māori continues from home.

‘Mauri Reo Mauri Ora’, will broadcast via the Te Reo Channel on SkyTV and Vodafone TV Channel 52, Free view channel 15 and Māori TV website https://www.teaomaori.news/its-kura-your-own-home-mauri-reo-mauri-ora from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am-3pm for the next 10 weeks, starting on the 15th of April. The programmes will be aligned to the curriculum and contain age appropriate content that tamariki can do on their own, with their siblings or together as a whānau.

The programmes on Māori television are for reo Māori learners of all ages, with a focus on those who are aged 0-18, covering ākonga in kōhungahunga (early learning), kura tuatahi (primary) and wharekura (secondary).

Ki te Ao Mārama hard copy learning packs

We are providing free Ki te Ao Mārama learning packs with age appropriate resources to support the lesson plans and activities provided by kaiako to support tamariki learning at home in te reo Māori.

The packs include te reo Māori resources to encourage te reo at home with whānau, with rauemi including templates for whānau, stationery, worksheets and learning activities.

All materials are designed for specific age groups; for under 5 year olds, 5-8 year olds, 9-12 year olds, 13-14 year olds and 15-18 year olds.

The packs are designed for all kura and Māori medium learners aged 0-18 years. There are sufficient packs available for tamariki and rangatahi in kōhanga reo, puna reo, kura and Māori immersion settings, and wharekura.

Ki te Ao Mārama Learning packs are free for all your tamariki and rangatahi, and will be sent out to homes free of charge. If you wish to receive these, please email mi@otagogirls.school.nz with your correct physical address, including post code.

New web portal for whānau Māori

Kia Manawaroa is a new web portal for whānau Māori that will be live from Thursday 16 April on education.govt.nz. Kia Manawaroa brings together information from the Ministry of Education and other education agencies, to support iwi and Māori audiences to increase their knowledge about educational choices available. This will therefore provide opportunities for whānau to be more actively involved in supporting their children’s learning.

The purpose is to provide information for whānau about education, in a way that is clear, easy to understand and resonates with Māori.

“Kia manawaroa” is a common phrase in te reo Māori. It is a call to action, to remain strong in the face of adversity. It was used on the battlefield, when paddling and sailing waka, in explorations for new homes or whenua, and in settling disputes. In this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a call of encouragement, of rising to the challenge, of combining our strength to push through these dark times and emerge into the light – “Ki te Ao Mārama”