TEACHING OF MAORI TO MAORIS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26538, 28 September 1951, Page 10

TEACHING OF MAORI TO MAORIS

EXTENSION SOUGHT IN SCHOOLS

(New Zealand Press A'sociation) WELLINGTON, September 27. An opportunity for Maori cflildren to learn at school more of their own language and more about their own people is sought by the conference of Maori Women’s Welfare Leagues meeting at Wellington. The conference to-day advocated the inclusion in the libraries of all schools attended by Maori children suitable literature on Maori subjects. One resolution, said: “It is being considered that Maori children in public schools are at a distinct disadvantage and are tending to grow up in ignorance of their own people.” Another resolution said: “While it is realised that a true knowledge of the language is obtained only if it is spoken in the home and though a full knowledge of English is essential in modern life, the conference still feels there is a case for teaching Maori in Maori schools.’’

The resolution urged the Education Department to overcome the present difficulties caused by a lack of qualified teachers and reading materials. A note said that it was considered that even if children learned Maori in the home they tended to lose their knowledge of it because of its absence from the school curriculum. It added that as the department provided journals in the Cook Island. Niue and Samoan languages it could, perhaps, do the same in the Maori.