Kohanga reo (Maori: kōhanga reo, meaning language nests) are kindergartens where all instruction is given in the Maori language.

Kohanga reo were initially established in New Zealand in 1982, when there were fears that the Maori language was dying out. The success of the kohanga reo programme is such that they have been followed by primary schools and secondary schools where Maori is the primary language of instruction. There are also kohanga reo in other Polynesian languages, eg. Fijian, Rarotongan, Samoan, and Tongan.

The concept of kohanga reo has been adopted in a number of other countries. A notable example is the punana leo established in Hawaii to assist in revitalizing the indigenous Hawaiian language.

Education in New Zealand | Māori

Kōhanga reo | Kōhanga Reo