Education Minister Chris Hipkins has agreed to review the level of funding for te reo Māori resources in response to cries for better resourcing from Puna Reo operators.
"We don't put a huge proportion of early childhood education funding going into an equity funding system and that's something that I'm wanting us to look at”, says Hipkins.
Te Kōhao Kōhungahunga (Puna Reo) manager Tere Gilbert says her center only receives around $410 per month for their Māori language subjects.
“What do you expect us to do with that amount of funding towards the reo and to also make resources?” asks Gilbert.
Early childhood education (ECE) has received a 1.6 percent funding increase this year and Māori early childhood hopes to benefit from that package.
“We need Māori language funding that will allow our kids to access places like the forest and sea. They need these opportunities because they live in urban areas, ” says Gilbert.
Hipkins spoke at the 55th annual conference Te Rito Maioha for NZ early childhood centers.
The government is to announce a 10-year plan to help support ECE.