The Waitangi Tribunal has issued a final report calling on the New Zealand government to apologize for removing schools' obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi. The tribunal found that the government breached Treaty principles by removing explicit obligations for school boards to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The report was released as part of an urgent education inquiry.
The Tribunal's findings state that the removal of these obligations violated the Treaty's principles of partnership, protection, and participation. The report highlights that the government's actions undermined the legal framework designed to ensure Māori rights in education. The Tribunal has recommended that the law be restored to its original form.
This is the second time the Waitangi Tribunal has addressed the issue of Treaty obligations in education. Previous reports in 2018 and 2020 called for stronger enforcement of Treaty principles in schools. The current report follows a series of policy changes that weakened the legal requirements for schools to implement Treaty obligations. The Tribunal's recommendations now require government action to correct the legal breach.
