Bo-Jangles

No, I went purely for interest and for the social aspect; much in the same way as I attended similar Government funded / subsidised further education and evening classes in the UK. If I were invited to offer a contribution to fees I would have happily paid a small fee but none were required.

Presumably the Government decides that 'we' taxpayers do pay for them to teach any nationality, be they Maori, British, South African, Pakeha or Asian. Much in the same way as a University might offer German or Italian language classes to anyone that wants to learn.

I am a bit past NCEAs, so I have no idea.

P18PPS

I have participated in the same te Reo courses - for over 2 years - but mine were not free. I think it's great that these courses are available and think that any immigrant from Barnsley, Birmingham or Bradford should participate - free though?? why should we as tax payers pay for them??


would you expect Albanian new entrants to get free english classes???

P18PPS

expect not assume

bourbon-biscuit

I guess the difference between an Albanian (or anyone) learning English and anyone learning Maori, would be that Maori is both an indigenous and endangered language. It's quite a large difference, really

P18PPS

what about the Taff language then?

P18PPS

or georgie?

P18PPS

I could - for a fee - teach the whys and wherefores of the "why-aye-man", "pund shop", "get yar tash on" and "kebabs"

barnsleymat

Sign me up.

Kiwi's don't understand me now, wait til I'm speaking Pidgeon Maori.

Whens the buffet open?

P18PPS

wat the whuck, am goaing to geet sam whash and chaps...

waikatoguy

We learnt to spell it by memorizing this :
Nine Girls Are Running Under A Wharf And Here I Am

Have your lunch down by the band rotunda some time. It's a nice spot.

P18PPS

bourbon-biscuit

I think that's in a similar state to Maori- ie few if any Welsh as first language speakers and critically endangered. I don't know much about it but I hope you can learn it for free in Wales, at least! The revival has followed similar lines I think- bilingual signage etc and immersion schools adopted, but like Maori language in NZ, it's all happening a generation too late. It takes 3 generations to wipe a language out- so sad.

babybella

Well they do in the UK, I was always pulled out of class to teach English to new immigrant children who spoke no english. New arrivals and I guess their parents hadn't pe-paid their UK tax to cover the cost.
Kaz

Bellasmum

Not that there is one ounce of connection between learning Te Reo and cooking but actually I had free cooking lessons at home with my Mother who was a very good cook.