Kohanga reo

The kohanga reo (language nests in English) are kindergartens where all instruction is given in the Maori language.

Kohanga reo were initially established at a time (mid to late 1970s) when there were real fears that the Maori language was dying out. The success of the kohanga reo programme is such that now they have been supplemented with primary schools and secondary schools where Maori remains the primary language of instruction.