The Government has begun delivering on its plan to integrate te reo Māori across the education system with the launch of Te Ahu o te Reo Māori, which will support the workforce to use te reo Māori correctly, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced on Monday.

Te Ahu o te Reo Māori is designed to improve all levels of Māori language ability across the education workforce.

Interested staff can participate in a kura reo-style learning programme with support from a group of experts, some of which will be delivered through wānanga and online learning support.

'This Government has made it clear that by 2025 te reo Māori will be an integral part of all students' education. With the launch of Te Ahu o te Reo Māori today, we have begun delivering on that commitment,” says Kelvin.

'We know there is increasing demand from students and whānau - Māori and non-Māori - to provide more te reo Māori in learning environments.

'The first step is ensuring that our workforce can comfortably use some level of te reo correctly with their students and, over time, increasingly incorporating te reo Māori into teaching practices and programmes.”

This year Te Ahu o te Reo Māori is being offered in Waikato, Taranaki-Whanganui, Kapiti-Horowhenua, and Te Waipounamu, and is available to all teaching and school support staff from early learning, kohanga reo through to secondary school and wharekura.

'This recognises that every staff member of a school or kura has an opportunity to use te reo the right way, to improve their interactions and relationships with students, parents and whānau.

'I encourage staff to make the most of this opportunity and register for one of the regional initiatives being delivered this year.

'This is about strengthening our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, empowering our workforce and - most importantly - giving our young people a chance to learn their reo and better supporting them to succeed in education as Māori,” says Kelvin.

Registrations for Te Ahu o te Reo Māori are now open and run until Wednesday 24 May, at www.education.govt.nz