MAORI SCHOOLS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20477, 11 February 1941, Page 4

MAORI SCHOOLS

SECONDARY PUPILS PRACTICAL TRAINING NEW POLICY TO BEGIN MINISTER'S STATEMENT (Special to the Herald.) WELLINGTON, this day. An immediate commencement is being made with the plans of the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, Minister of Education, to expand the facilities for secondary education for Maori children by providing district high schools close to the centres of the native population on the East Coast of the North Island. They will commence almost at once at. Ruatoria, Tikitiki, and Te Araroa. On returning from a visit to those disv.-cts this week the Minister stated that lie was accompanied by the Director of Education, Dr. Beeby, and Mr. Ball, who until recently was chief inspector of native schools. The party would have included Sir Apirana Ngata, who has shown such a sympathetic attitude towards the new development, but for the death of his daughter. Explanation of Facilities The object of the tour was to explain the facilities to the parents, and meetings to which they were invited were neid in the three centres, keen interest being shown, the attendance of parents at Ruatoria being 180. “’The position,” explained the Minister on his return to Wellington, ‘Ms that although very good provision has been made for primary education of Maori children, there has been a difficulty in providing secondary education except for those who live near large centres, where these schools are situated. The scholarship system has helped to a certain extent, but does not fully meet the need, so it is necessary to bring secondary education closer to the Maori homes.

“This may be looked upon as an experiment, but it is one in which we have great confidence. The intention is that the work shall be of a sufficiently practical nature without, of course, excluding academic studies for those who feel specially drawn towards them

“We want to see that the Maori child is given just as good an opportunity for technical education as the European child. While the boys will be given the chance of learning thing; of practical value, the girls will have the opportunity of receiving a thorough training in all aspects of domestic work, so as to make them capable of maintaining a good standard of domestic comfort in the homes of the Maori people, homes which the boys will be taught to build. Standard of Life “I am convinced,” added Mr. Mason, “that the standard of life will depend more than anything upon the standard which can be maintained by the women in their own homes, therefore, I look on this training of the girls as being important above all things.” As the department has the nucleus of land and buildings at the three East Coast centres mentioned, a start can be made with the new scheme, and it is intended to instruct the boys in such a practical way that further buildings needed as the scheme expands can he erected by them under the guidance of their instructors. A system of travelling instructors has been organised to serve the three schools.

It was explained by the Minister that in regard to North Auckland, it was possible to centralise Maori secondary education at a central high school in Kaikohe. The instruction will follow the same lines as those described in connection with the East Coast,