Te Marautanga o Aotearoa is New Zealand’s official national curriculum for Māori-medium schools operating across Years 0 through 13+, delivered entirely through te reo Māori. This guide provides an English-language overview of what it covers, how it works, and where its latest updates stand.

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Primary Language: Te Reo Māori · Target Levels: Years 0-13+ · Companion Framework: The New Zealand Curriculum · Key Focus: Māori Immersion Schools · Subjects Covered: Ngā Wāhanga Ako

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact launch date of original pre-2017 Te Marautanga
  • Precise adoption rates across Māori-medium schools nationwide
  • Full coverage of Tau 0 in parent guides (stated as forthcoming)
3Timeline signal
  • 2017: Whakapākehānga (2017 version) released
  • June 2024: Latest update to the framework
  • English-medium NZ Curriculum fully implemented 2010
4What’s next
  • Schools continue adapting the framework to local iwi and hapū contexts
  • Parent guide expansion expected to cover additional year levels
Field Value
Full Name Te Marautanga o Aotearoa
Type Māori Immersion Curriculum
Publisher Ministry of Education NZ
Levels Taumata 1 & 2 (Years 0-13+)
Companion The New Zealand Curriculum
Assessment Standards Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori (Years 1-8)
Core Subjects pānui, tuhituhi, pāngarau
Curriculum Levels Eight levels

What is the meaning of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa?

Core definition

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa translates roughly to “the curriculum of New Zealand”—but this phrase carries far more weight than a simple name swap. It is the official national curriculum designed specifically for Māori-medium schools (kura) operating across Years 0 through 13+, delivered entirely through te reo Māori as the primary language of instruction. The Ministry of Education describes it as outlining essential knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes for Māori-medium education, placing the Treaty of Waitangi principles at its centre and keeping the learner at the heart of everything.

Unlike a direct translation of the English-medium New Zealand Curriculum, this framework emerges from a distinctly Māori worldview. According to the official English translation document published on TKI (Te Kura Māori), it “emphasizes socio-cultural aspects, involving home, community, culture, hapū, iwi in education” rather than adapting an existing framework. Schools are expected to use this curriculum as a foundation for developing their own localised programmes rather than following a prescriptive teaching plan.

The framework was launched as a draft curriculum designed to empower schools and communities across the full spectrum of schooling. It exists alongside the English-medium New Zealand Curriculum, which itself was introduced in late 2007 and fully implemented by 2010.

Both curricula share the goal of fulfilling youth potential in the 21st century, but Te Marautanga o Aotearoa was purpose-built from the ground up for Māori-medium contexts rather than retrofitted from the English-language version.

Why this matters

For New Zealand families choosing Māori-medium education, Te Marautanga o Aotearoa is not optional. The curriculum must be included in all school charters for kura, making it the governing document for how these schools operate and measure student progress.

The implication: Schools operating without proper Te Marautanga implementation risk non-compliance with their legal charter obligations.

Historical context

According to the launch speech recorded on Beehive.govt.nz, Te Marautanga o Aotearoa is “world-leading as designed for 21st-century Māori-medium teaching.” The Ministry of Education frames it as the companion document to The New Zealand Curriculum, noting: “Ko Te Marautanga o Aotearoa te hoa pukapuka o The New Zealand Curriculum.”

The upshot

Māori-medium schools operate under two national curricula: Te Marautanga o Aotearoa for Māori kura and The New Zealand Curriculum for English-medium schools. Both are Tier 1 government documents, but they reflect fundamentally different pedagogical starting points.

What is Te Marautanga o Aotearoa in English?

English translation overview

The Ministry of Education has published an official English translation of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa as a downloadable document on TKI (Te Kura Māori). This translation covers the curriculum’s vision, structure, and key components for English-speaking audiences who need to understand the framework’s scope. According to the translation, the curriculum outlines overarching aims including expanding vocabulary, understanding language structure, and developing communication strategies through te reo Māori, English, and potentially a third language.

The translation makes clear that immersion in te reo Māori leads to greater proficiency as the medium of instruction. Schools following this curriculum aim for learners who are confident navigating both the Māori world and wider society, capable of operating as leaders nationally and internationally in both languages.

This graduate profile—the ideal outcome for students completing their schooling under Te Marautanga—is articulated as someone “confident in te reo Māori and English, leaders nationally and internationally.”

The English translation makes this Māori-medium curriculum accessible to non-Māori-speaking parents and educators who need to understand the framework’s scope.

Key documents

For those seeking the English-language version, the primary resources include the English translation DOC file hosted on tmoa.tki.org.nz, the parent guide structured by year level on education.govt.nz, and the updated June 2024 version of the Whakapākehānga document. The parent guide covers Tau 1 to 8 (equivalent to Years 1-8) and is specifically designed to help whānau support mokopuna (grandchildren) in developing te reo Māori skills through activities they can do at home. Coverage of Tau 0 remains forthcoming according to Ministry documentation.

Bottom line: The English translation makes this Māori-medium curriculum accessible to non-Māori-speaking parents and educators. The key takeaway is that schools adapt the framework locally, but every kura must follow it as the basis for their programmes.

What is the Te Marautanga o Aotearoa curriculum?

Structure and components

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa is built around a framework called Te Anga (the structure), which guides how schools implement the curriculum from their own starting points. The implementation begins with schools developing a graduate profile—a statement of what their students should know and be able to do upon completing their education. From this profile, schools build their unique curricula tailored to their community’s needs, iwi connections, and local contexts.

The curriculum operates across two main levels: Taumata 1 (early years through to roughly Year 8) and Taumata 2 (Years 9-13+). Assessment differs from the English-medium track—Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori standards apply to Years 1-8 in Māori-medium schools and cover pānui (reading), tuhituhi (writing), and pāngarau (mathematics). These standards differ from the English-medium curriculum levels, which have no annual benchmarks at primary level but operate differently for assessment purposes.

Ngā Wāhanga Ako subjects

The learning areas under Ngā Wāhanga Ako include core communication domains such as pānui (reading), tuhituhi (writing), and kōrero (speaking and listening). Schools using Te Aho Matua or kura-iwi charters have flexibility to adapt the framework uniquely to their philosophical foundations, allowing for diverse expressions of Māori-medium education across different tribal and community contexts. The Ministry of Education notes that schools are encouraged to work with iwi, hapū, and whānau to ensure student success.

The trade-off

Because Te Marautanga is a framework rather than a prescriptive plan, schools have significant autonomy in how they implement it. This flexibility allows for culturally authentic local adaptation, but it also means outcomes can vary more widely than in programmes following rigid subject-by-subject requirements.

The catch: Parents should ask kura how they measure progress against the graduate profile, since curriculum fidelity varies across schools.

Recent updates to Te Marautanga o Aotearoa?

Refresh details

An updated version of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa was released in June 2024 as a guide for Māori-medium teaching practices. This latest refresh builds on the 2017 Whakapākehānga version and provides current guidance for schools implementing the curriculum. The 2024 update is available as a downloadable PDF from Ministry of Education storage systems and represents the most current official guidance for kura across New Zealand. For more details on Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, consult the Noel Leeming power bank guide.

In August 2024, the Ministry also published a Tuhinga Hukihuki (consultation document) on Tauākī Herenga Marautanga—a framework alignment statement explaining how the curriculum relates to broader national education goals. This document provides English-language context for how Te Marautanga fits within New Zealand’s overall education policy landscape.

What to watch

The June 2024 update signals continued government investment in Māori-medium education. For educators and parents, staying current with refreshes ensures schools are operating against the latest Ministry guidance rather than outdated versions of the framework.

Tauākī Herenga Marautanga

The Tauākī Herenga Marautanga document outlines the alignment between Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and national education frameworks, clarifying how schools should interpret and implement the curriculum in relation to government priorities. For school leaders and boards, this document provides essential guidance on charter requirements and how to demonstrate compliance with curriculum mandates.

The pattern: Schools that update their charters to reflect the 2024 refresh will demonstrate curriculum compliance more reliably than those relying on older versions.

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa pronunciation and key terms?

Pronunciation guide

For English speakers encountering Te Marautanga o Aotearoa for the first time, the phrase breaks down as: “Te” (the), “Marautanga” (curriculum/study programme), and “o Aotearoa” (of New Zealand). The word “marautanga” derives from the Māori root “māra” (garden/cultivate) extended to encompass the cultivation of knowledge. “Aotearoa” means “land of the long white cloud” and is the commonly used name for New Zealand in te reo Māori.

Related Māori terms

Key terms appearing in Te Marautanga documentation include:

  • Putaiao — Science learning area
  • Tahurangi — Assessment and reporting guidance
  • Ākonga — Learner/student
  • Kura — School (specifically Māori-medium)
  • Whānau — Family, extended family
  • Hapū — Sub-tribe, clan group
  • Iwi — Tribe

Understanding these terms helps parents and educators navigate official curriculum documentation and engage more meaningfully with their children’s schooling. The parent guide on education.govt.nz uses these terms throughout, assuming basic familiarity but providing context where needed.

“Ko Te Marautanga o Aotearoa te hoa pukapuka o The New Zealand Curriculum.” — Ministry of Education, framing Te Marautanga as the companion document to the English-medium curriculum

“Ngā wāhanga ako o Te Marautanga o Aotearoa” — NZQA, referring to the learning areas within the Māori-medium curriculum framework

Related reading: New Zealand Curriculum counterpart

Additional sources

tmoa.tki.org.nz, education.govt.nz, mapaoch00pr.blob.core.windows.net, timssandpirls.bc.edu, mapaoch00pr.blob.core.windows.net, paeroacentral.school.nz, newzealandcurriculum.tahurangi.education.govt.nz

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa forms the backbone of New Zealand Māori-Medium Curriculum Guide, shaping teaching programs delivered entirely in te reo Māori from Years 0 to 13+.

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Frequently asked questions

What does te wānanga o Aotearoa mean?

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is a separate institution from the curriculum framework—it is a Māori tertiary education provider offering vocational and diploma-level programmes. Unlike Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (which governs primary and secondary schooling), Te Wānanga o Aotearoa operates at the tertiary level as a distinct entity.

What is Mātauranga Māori?

Mātauranga Māori translates to “Māori knowledge” or “Māori epistemology.” It represents the body of knowledge developed and maintained by Māori over generations and differs from Western academic knowledge systems. Te Marautanga o Aotearoa draws on Mātauranga Māori as a foundational philosophy rather than simply transplanting English-medium content into Māori language classrooms.

Why is NZ called Aotearoa?

Aotearoa means “land of the long white cloud” in te reo Māori. This name appears in traditional Māori oral histories and is now widely used as an alternative name for New Zealand, especially in official and cultural contexts. The name reflects the nation’s distinctive natural landscape as observed by Polynesian navigators who settled the islands approximately 700 years ago.

Should I say New Zealand or Aotearoa?

Both names are acceptable and widely used. “New Zealand” remains the official English name under international law, while “Aotearoa” is the te reo Māori name increasingly used in government documents, on signage, and in cultural contexts. Many New Zealanders use both names interchangeably, particularly when speaking about domestic issues versus international recognition.

What are white Māori called?

This question reflects a misunderstanding of how Māori identity works. Māori identity is determined by whakapapa (genealogy and tribal affiliation), not by skin colour or physical appearance. Someone of European descent can be Māori if they have Māori whakapapa and are recognised by their hapū or iwi, while someone of full Māori descent might not identify as Māori if they have been raised outside the culture. Māori identity is cultural and genealogical, not phenotypic.

Why do Māori not sit on pillows?

This question likely refers to cultural protocols around tapu (sacred restriction) and noa (ordinary/commercial). In traditional Māori belief, the head is considered the most sacred part of the body, and pillows may carry cultural significance related to this. However, contemporary Māori families vary in their adherence to traditional protocols, and many adapt practices to modern living situations. Not all Māori observe this specific practice.

Bottom line: Te Marautanga o Aotearoa is the cornerstone of Māori-medium education in New Zealand. Schools building programmes around this framework are producing graduates equipped with te reo Māori fluency, cultural grounding, and bilingual competence. Parents and caregivers who understand this curriculum can hold schools accountable to the framework they are legally required to follow.

For school boards and principals, the pressure is mounting: schools that invest in quality Te Marautanga implementation with proper teacher development will retain and grow their Māori-medium enrolment, while those that don’t will see families gravitate toward kura with stronger curriculum fidelity. Families gain a concrete reference point for what their children should be learning—and a basis for holding schools accountable to the framework they are legally required to follow.