A look at Kohanga Reo

Press, 14 March 1987, Page 18

A look at Kohanga Reo

The first intake of Kohanga Reo children started this year and “Koha” this week looks at how the children will cope in the present school system. The Kohanga Reo has become the fastest growing pre-school service in the country, and is in its fifth year. “Koha” will also look at the movement from its conception until today.

Because of the Maori way of teaching — the Whanaungatanga, the sharing and caring and, most importantly, the

language — reports have shown that the Kohanga children are coming into the system with all the confidence, zeal and selfesteem that will help them make it in today’s society in both the Maori and the pakeha world. Parents, teachers and the Education Department have all been affected by the Kohanga movement, in ways such as parents having to either learn the language to keep it flowing in the home, or be unable to speak to their own children because of lack of the language.

The Education Department has been affected in that it has had' to cater for these children and provide resources for the influx to come, so that the children do hot lose their individuality and their self-esteem, as Maori children have done in the past ; “Koha” will look at these ideas and outline what Kohanga Reo is and the need for such a concept Part One of this twopart report screens tomorrow (Sunday) at 7.45 p.m. on One.