Ōtara Middle School Restores Māori and Sāmoan Bilingual Pathways After Two-Decade Gap

South Auckland students celebrate the return of Māori and Sāmoan bilingual learning, ending a two-decade gap in cultural and academic continuity for local whānau.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 6:30 AM EDT

Source: RNZ

Cultural Identity Integrated into Academic Success

The reopening of the bilingual units at Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Middle School represents a significant shift in the institution's approach to student engagement. Principal Estear Peautau highlighted the importance of "language and identity" as the foundation of the new curriculum, stating that students should not feel compelled to leave their heritage behind to succeed in the classroom. This philosophy appears to be yielding immediate results, with early attendance rates for the new units reaching between 85 and 90 percent.

The current curriculum delivery in te reo Māori and gagana Sāmoa is designed to foster a sense of belonging that traditional English-medium settings may lack. According to school leadership, the move was prompted by direct feedback from parents who demanded that the school fulfill its responsibility to provide culturally grounded learning environments for their tamariki.

A Legacy of Community Advocacy in South Auckland

The development is the latest milestone in a movement that dates back to the early 1980s. Education expert John McCaffery, who helped establish the first urban Māori bilingual unit in 1981 and a Sāmoan unit in 1987 at nearby Clydemore Primary School, noted that these gains are the result of "never-ending struggle" by local families. The current students are the grandchildren of those who first fought for bilingual rights in the late 70s, underscoring the intergenerational nature of this educational demand.

This historical context is crucial for understanding why the 21-year absence of these units was so deeply felt. When the three local schools merged to form the collegiate two decades ago, the existing Sāmoan bilingual pathways were not carried over. This created a significant "disconnect" for students who could start their bilingual journey in primary school but were forced into monolingual environments upon entering middle school.