Community Demands Greater Recognition for Indian Languages in Schools

Community leaders and educators in New Zealand are advocating for increased recognition and inclusion of Indian languages in public schools. Despite the Indian population surpassing the Chinese community to become the country’s third-largest ethnic group, languages such as Hindi, Punjabi, and Gujarati are largely absent from the educational curriculum. The 2023 Census revealed that 292,092 individuals identified as having Indian heritage, marking a significant 22 percent increase since 2018.

According to Stats NZ, Hindi is now the fourth most spoken language in the country, while Punjabi ranks ninth, with a remarkable 45.1 percent growth from 2018 to 2023. Despite this demographic shift and the rising interest in Asian languages within the education system, community leaders express concern over the limited opportunities for students to learn Indian languages.

Educators like Rohit Kumar, editor of the Hindi literary magazine Bharat-Darshan, emphasize the need for structured curricula and standardized teaching resources to facilitate the learning of heritage languages. Kumar pointed out that many individuals within the Indian community are eager to preserve languages such as Hindi, Punjabi, and Gujarati. However, he noted that these languages are not consistently offered in public schools and are less integrated into curriculums compared to languages like Māori, Spanish, French, Japanese, or Chinese.

Community-run language schools have become the primary venues for teaching Indian heritage languages. Kumar explained, “These schools often operate on weekends or after hours, run by volunteers, cultural organizations, or faith-based groups.” He acknowledged the vital role these institutions play in keeping the languages alive, although access and quality can vary significantly based on location and resources.

Former president of the New Zealand Indian Central Association, Narendra Bhana, highlighted the longstanding presence of a community language school at the Auckland Indian Association’s Mahatma Gandhi Centre, which has been operational for approximately 80 years. This school currently accommodates nearly 100 children learning Gujarati and Hindi every Sunday. Despite the evident demand, Bhana noted that the school relies entirely on volunteer teachers and receives minimal financial support, resulting in barriers related to teacher availability and teaching materials.

Advocates like Navtej Randhawa, a fourth-generation Indian New Zealander, stress the importance of incorporating Indian languages, particularly Hindi, into the mainstream education system. Randhawa stated, “At present, community-led initiatives are the backbone of heritage language education. These spaces are vital, but they are limited in reach and capacity.” He criticized the lack of systemic support from the Ministry of Education for Indian heritage languages, despite the Indian diaspora’s long-standing presence in New Zealand, which dates back 135 years.

The current landscape shows that Auckland’s Papatoetoe North School is one of the few schools offering bilingual Hindi classes for Year 3 to Year 6 students. Principal Stan Tiatia remarked that the availability of heritage-language options reflects the community’s demographics, with approximately 50 percent of the student population identifying as Pasifika, 30 percent as Indian or Fijian Indian, and 20 percent as Māori. Tiatia acknowledged the positive impact of heritage-language learning, stating that it helps students enhance their English skills. However, he expressed concern over the lack of a structured curriculum for Hindi, indicating that resources are often sourced from India or locally where available.

Similarly, Vaughan Couillault, principal of Papatoetoe High School, recalled starting Hindi classes over a decade ago in response to community demand. “I’ve got a significant Indo-Fijian population at my school,” he noted. While Hindi is currently offered to students up to Year 10, Couillault explained that it is not an NCEA subject, which limits its appeal for students seeking qualifications.

The Ministry of Education’s latest data for secondary school language enrollment indicates that Japanese remains the most popular Asian language, with 12,257 students enrolled, followed by Chinese with 5,415 students. Unfortunately, Indian languages are not listed as subjects or NCEA options alongside Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.

Juliet Kennedy, president of the New Zealand Association of Language Teachers, expressed support for the inclusion of Indian languages in school curriculums, but acknowledged that bureaucratic hurdles remain. She noted the ongoing debate surrounding which Indian languages should be prioritized, suggesting that Hindi, Punjabi, and Gujarati should all be considered.

Acting general manager of the Te Poutāhu Curriculum Centre at the Education Ministry, Hayley Welch, clarified that learning a second language is not compulsory in New Zealand schools. She stated, “The New Zealand Curriculum includes a specific component focused on learning languages,” but emphasized that schools decide on the languages they offer based on community needs and available resources. Welch confirmed that a draft of the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum, which will include updates to the language component, is expected to be available for feedback in the fourth term of this year, with implementation planned for 2027.

As the conversation continues around the recognition of Indian languages in New Zealand’s education system, community leaders and educators are determined to secure meaningful investment and support to ensure that these languages receive the recognition they deserve.