School calls off te reo classes

Hamilton's Fraser High School has decided to scrap free Maori language night classes after no-one enrolled for the eight-week course due to start earlier this week.

The move comes in the middle of Te Wiki o te Reo Maori or Maori Language Week, which celebrates te reo and encourages Kiwis to use it more in everyday language.

Adult and community education (ACE) director Peter Faulkner was surprised at the lack of interest in the term three te reo course, considering 20 people had enrolled for a similar course held at the secondary school in term two.

"I'm totally bemused because by it," he said.

"I just don't know why no-one has signed up.

"After last term we were thinking about running two classes a week, but here we are."

The eight-week, 16-hour course, which required a $40 bond that would be paid back after the course's completion, was to provide learners with a basic introduction to the Maori language, including greetings, marae protocol, and the dos and don'ts of general conversation.

There were three inquiries about the course before its scheduled start on Tuesday night, but no-one went on to enrol.

Mr Faulkner was satisfied with ACE's advertising programme for the course and the quality of the tutor Karyn Pirini, who received "excellent feedback" after last term's course. He said he was at a loss at the lack of interest.

Waikato University's Pathways College, meanwhile, is having no problem finding learners for its $130 te reo course. Maori Language: Beginners is also eight weeks long and has a full allotment of 16 students, with four turned away due to its popularity.

- © Fairfax NZ News