All teachers may have to learn Maori basics under a new "cultural competency" programme to be launched this year but the Secondary Principals' Association says learning should be through incentives and not forced.
In a report to Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples yesterday, the Maori Youth Council recommended introducing compulsory Te Reo tertiary study for secondary school teachers to improve their ability to communicate effectively with Maori students.
In addition to the language course, the council proposed teachers be required to take a tertiary level Maori education course.
Secondary Principals' Association president Patrick Walsh said not all teachers would want to learn Maori.
Teachers already had to take courses on technology, to counter bullying, and for NCEA and National Standards, as well as coaching sports teams.
"I think anyone would realise if you force adults into a learning experience they are immediately going to resent having to be there. It is far better to develop a really good course, provide some incentives and let people see that they want to be there and they are more likely to learn and be part of the project," he told Newstalk ZB.
"My experience is there are no teachers in New Zealand who don't want to lift the achievement levels of Maori but forcing them to achieve courses would be counter productive."
Responding to the recommendations yesterday, Dr Sharples said they were along the same lines as a project he was currently working on.
"I've got a programme I've just finished about cultural awareness amongst teachers, we've had a report prepared called 'cultural commonsense'."
Dr Sharples said the programme, which was likely to be launched next month, would do away with Te Kotahitanga, a current professional development programme to help teachers relate to Maori students.
"It's a way of training teachers, and involving them in the community, and teaching the Maori concept of teaching and learning."
Rather than being part of a teacher's tertiary training, Dr Sharples said it would be schools-based and be extended to teachers at all levels.
Dr Sharples said he did not expect the programme to be implemented until next year.
"This is forever. If we get this into the teaching programme and into the schools an so on it would just be a normal part of school life and people would take it for granted, that there is a Maori culture alive and real that impacts on these kids."
