Discrimination seen in primary programmes

Press, 28 October 1981, Page 13

Discrimination seen in primary programmes

PA Hamilton Many primary school programmes cater only for middle-class European children. the annual WaikatoManiapoto Maori planning conference, at Ngaruawahia, has been told. The allegation came from a King Movement organiser, Mr David Panapa, himself a primary school deputy principal, during an investigation into why Maori children fail academically. Mr Panapa said that the problem started at primary level but the gap between Maori and European children at school became wider the higher up the grades they went. An honorary communityofficer, Mr Ata Tautari prompted the debate by asking why Maori schoolchildren who were not performing

academically could not be plucked out early, on and given alternative' training. Mana Motuhake's 'Western Maori candidate. Mrs Eva Rickard, said that failure was an integral part of the State education system. “Where do they get the rubbish collectors ... the freezing workers?” she asked. “From the Maori people.” . Mrs Rickard said that Maoris must “turn the system around” to work for them by setting up alternative schools. “Our talents are many.” she said. “I . am tired, of saying that we are failures.” Later in the debate, an assistant at the Department of Maori Affairs, Dr Tamati Reedy, said that Maori parents must ignore accusations of racism and form support

groups to get their children through the school system. Dr Reedy, who is in charge of his department’s community development programmes. said that about 66 per cent of Maoris were leaving that system without any kind of qualification.