Ko Jaiyushka Pratap toku ingoa.
Hang on, what language am I speaking?
I am speaking one of the two legal languages of New Zealand. But you should know that, if you are a citizen of Aotearoa.
We all speak English here in New Zealand, but so do 50 other countries as well.
Why are we flushing our uniqueness down the drain?
Secondly, our Government is now waking up to the possibility of the first language spoken in New Zealand becoming extinct.
The number of te reo speaking people is decreasing.
I believe people descending from Maori heritage should be encouraged to embrace it, and it should be compulsory to learn te reo until secondary school.
A major reason why we should learn this language is, do you really want New Zealand to become just like any other British, Australian, American countries around the world who only speak English?
If we are legally known as a bilingual settlement, then why suppress the importance of knowing te reo?
Over the past three decades, the number of people able to hold a genuine conversation in te reo has declined by 3.7%.
Te reo is endangered - is this the reality we face?
A benefit of learning a second language is that students tend to be more creative and score higher in verbal tests, as opposed to those who know one dialect.
It also plants another seedling in their brain, ready to feed on more challenges, problems, questions and growth of cultural background.
There is no doubt that children will gain pride from valuing the remarkable cultural te reo Maori identity.
It will definitely help them in the near future when they are searching for jobs, because pursuing te reo will give them access to many competent skills and an amazing CV.
Lastly, if you are Maori or of Maori descent, you will surely feel grateful to be given the chance to speak your mother tongue at school.
Even if you don't speak it at home, it will boost your confidence to socialise with it.
No-one has to worry about receiving the strap for speaking our native language anymore.
Yes, that is true. In the past, students caught having a conversation in te reo received a punishment.
Crazy as it might seem, some people used to hide their real Maori first and last names and use English substitutes.
I feel strongly obliged to learn te reo, as it is what's marketed globally as New Zealand's indigenous language.
Te reo is stamped in our long-term history, and "time's up".
This koha is no longer hidden, and we need to step up to the challenge as a country.
No reira.
JAIYUSHKA PRATAP Year 10, Kaikorai Valley College
