More New Zealand students are learning te reo Māori than ever before. Nearly 60 percent of school students now receive some level of te reo education, a big increase from the early 2000s.
The surge in interest is creating pressure for schools trying to keep up. Some bilingual classes are filling quickly and waiting lists are starting to appear.
Papakura High School in Auckland says demand for its bilingual pathway has grown strongly since launching in 2019. Many students now arrive from primary schools that already offer immersion or bilingual learning.
But staffing is becoming a challenge. Schools need teachers who are fluent in te reo Māori and qualified to teach subjects like maths or science. Finding people with both skills is proving difficult as demand for programmes continues to rise.