Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:660;Page:8962] 
11. 
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: E pehea e rereke ai te noho o nga tauira Maori i roto i nga kura auraki na runga i te aronga nui i te purongo Step Change ki te matauranga ahurea na kei te whakaae atu ia ki ta te ripoata “it is difficult to see how success for many students in New Zealand can be achieved without this component of learning”? 
[ 
How will the experience for Maori students in mainstream schools change as a result of the commitment to cultural competence outlined in the Step Change report; and does she agree that “it is difficult to see how success for many students in New Zealand can be achieved without this component of learning”? 
] 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 I have already made the comment in the House that I have not made a decision about the report yet. But I completely agree with the member that commitment to cultural competence is crucial. I also agree with the member’s comments yesterday that “the same old same old been there done that” approach cannot continue. That is why the Government has invested in a further roll-out of the Te Kotahitanga programme and to He Kakano a professional development programme for principals and school leaders to embed cultural competencies. Maori students in mainstream schools have much to gain from these programmes. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Ka ahatia ki nga kura me nga kaiako e koretake ana ki nga ahuatanga mahi ahurea ahakoa tona kaha ki te hapai i nga taumata matauranga Maori? 
[ 
How will schools be held to account for teachers who are failing to demonstrate the cultural competence that contributes to success in Maori education? 
] 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: At the moment I would expect that that problem would be picked up by the Education Review Office’s regular review of schools and that the Ministry of Education would then provide support for that school to address the issue. The introduction of national standards means that from 2012 schools must report the progress and achievement of cohorts of students to their community and to the Ministry of Education and this includes a specific requirement to report on Maori students’ progress. This will ensure that any problems can be addressed much earlier. 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Opposition seeks your assistance. The Minister gave quite a detailed response—in fact a written response—to a supplementary question from another political party about the  
Step Change  
report a report that at question No. 8 she said she had not had time to read— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member is stretching a long bow there. That is not a point of order. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Ka ahatia e te Minita ki te whakautu i te awangawanga o etahi whanau e mea ana kaore etahi kaiako i te whai i te kaupapa o Te Kotahitanga engari kei te utua te kura ki te whakatinana i tenei kaupapa na runga i te hiahia ki te hiki i nga taumata matauranga Maori? 
[ 
What will the Minister do to respond to concerns from whanau that some teachers are refusing to participate in the Te Kotahitanga project yet the school has been funded to do so in a desire to 
lift Maori educational achievement? 
] 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My point of order just goes to the relevance of that question to the primary question or to the supplementary question. Refusal to take part in a particular programme currently existing and not related to this other than the fact that for the Minister’s information it is mentioned in the report is I think a long bow and certainly given the Minister’s lack of familiarity with the report— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No the member must sit down now. That is not acceptable. I think it would be unfair for the Speaker to intervene and rule such a question out of order. 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I have not heard those concerns before and that information is of concern. I would appreciate some further information from the member and I would be happy to discuss this with him further. But I can say that as a Government we expect a professional response to the issue of continued Maori underachievement in mainstream schools and I would be really disappointed if some professionals are refusing to participate in what is a very effective project.