WELLINGTON, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The inclusion of the Tongan language in the New Zealand Education Curriculum will help preserve and enhance the language for future generations, New Zealand Associate Minister of Pacific Island Affairs Luamanuvao Winnie Laban said Monday.

Speaking at the launch of the curriculum at the University of Auckland, Laban said that while the 2006 Census showed there are around 50,000 people usually resident in New Zealand of Tongan ethnicity, there are less than 30,000 speakers of Tongan in New Zealand.

"We want to see that number increase, and the number of all New Zealanders able to speak a foreign language - particularly their native tongue - increase," said Laban.

The addition of Tongan to the curriculum is supported by the Labor-led government's 2006 budget announcement of a 4.5 million NZ dollars (3 million U.S. dollars) increase over four years for teaching Pasifika languages.

"This is great news for our Pacific communities and something to be very proud of," said Laban.

"Losing a language is to lose diversity, culture and identity. Everyone suffers. Today we celebrate an important milestone that will help ensure Tongan will not be lost," said Laban.

One research estimate suggests that nearly half of the world's 7000 languages will be extinct by the end of the century. Laban said it was not only important to preserve Tongan, but also important to preserve it in New Zealand.

"New Zealand is a Pacific country. The Pacific is our home. Pacific culture and language are increasingly important in the way New Zealanders see themselves," said Laban.

The inclusion of Tongan in the curriculum follows the recent launch of a new school curriculum for teaching Vagahau Niue, which joined the Samoan and Cook Island Maori language curricula.