Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 8, 1 August 2022 — EDUCATION [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

EDUCATION

Dr. Jonathan Kay Kamakawiwo'ole Osorio is dean of the Hawai'inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at UH Mānoa. We asked him to comment on the fact that there are currently only 25 public/charter schools across the pae aina (out of 294) offering Hawaiian language immersion educa-

tion - whieh presents an access issue for parents seeking a Hawaiian-focused education for their keiki. Osorio notes that the core problem is "supply and demand" and that, despite efforts by the UH system, far too few Hawaiian immersion teachers have been recruited, trained and certified. "In 2018, we were informed that there were 50 vacancies in kula kaiapuni statewide," he said. Inadequate, unreliable funding is the biggest problem, according to Osorio. Despite the existence of BA/ MA pathways between Hawaiian Studies, Hawaiian Language and the College of Education, many potential students simply cannot afford the tuition. Without full financial aid, they are forced to take on student loan debt whieh is a disincentive to pursuing a teaching career. "A first-year teacher at Puōhala or Ka 'Umeke should not have to face $50,000 in indebtedness as they prepare to take on this career," said Osorio. He would like to see OHA work directly with UH to strengthen the pipeline of this generation of Hawaiian immersion teachers for all grade levels by providing financial aid for these students as well as funding for the training programs in Hawaiian literacy by faculty like Dr. Hiapo Perreira of Ka Haka 'Ula at UH Hilo and Dr. Ipo Wong of Kawaihuelani at UH Mānoa that have been developed for immersion kumu.