Financial Problems Affect Schooling

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30747, 11 May 1965, Page 15

Financial Problems Affect Schooling

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 10. Financial problems among Maori families is affecting the education of their children, according to the Education Department’s Maori education officer (Mr D. M. Jillett).

He told the Maori students’ conference at Ardmore that many Maori pupils in the cities were encouraged to leave school too soon because their families were becoming seriously overcommitted financially. The achievement level of Maori students was not high enough, said Mr Jillett. Some were doing well, but were leaving school too soon. Many Maori pupils were not “at home” in the cities as they were In the country and this was reflected in their school work. Mr Jillett commented on the very small numbers of Maori pupils in sixth forms and said while he did not believe that school certificate and university entrance were the be-all and end-all of education, it was a sign of educational ill-health, that the

academic group coming through the school system was so small. The achievements of Maori apprentices showed what young Maoris could do, but the educational effort needed to be successful on a wide front.

“We need to produce a large number of middle-class breadwinners,” said Mr Jillett. “Middle-class people can look after their own affairs, including the education of their children.”