THE EDUCATION OF THE MAORI

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15540, 23 August 1912, Page 4

THE EDUCATION OF THE MAORI

No part of tlie educational system of th Dominion is less harassed by the storm of public criticism tlinn that which is ii operation for the benefit of the .nam racc. The fascinating little .Maori eliil dri'ii who yearn to dancc occasional haka for a penny in northern tourist resort appear to be. fjrowinjj up mainly a a kindly Providence permits, but although no great prominence is give: the fact, their undeniable mental apti tilde is iuinistered to on comprehensive lines under State supervision. The annua report on the Native schools of tin country furnishes abundant evidence 01 this point. It is about thirty years sinci the Education Department became re sponsible for the operation of thesi schools, and during that period the aver age yearly attendance has iucreasci steadily from 1106 to 3990. "There i ample evidence," gays the latest report "to show that the Maori is fully nlivi to the- necessity of having his childrei educated, and a laige number of appar I'litly well-founded applications for tin establishment of schools is now rcceivini attention." At the on<l of last ye-ar theri ivere 104 Native village schools in opera lion, with a roll number of 4557 oliil ilron, of whom 518 were European, t) Ihe balance, who were of Maori or mixoi race, it is of interest to note that 393' ivere accustomed to speak Maori in tin home, ami only 102 to use. the Knglisl tongue under similar circumstances. 1 is to be remembered, however, in esti mating the total number of Maori eliil Iron who are receiving primary educatioi In New Zealand, that- the number attendin; Llie ordinary public schools is even large ihan that attending the Native schools This explains the fact that the tota lumber of children of Maori or niixci ■ace on the educational rolls in Decembo: ast, including the attendance at live mis lion schools and at secondary schools, was 3876. The total Maori population at tin ast census, it may be added, was 49,829 iVhilc the average percentage of regularity if attendance at Native schools is stil ower than that of the lowest public cliool district, it lias shown a steady im irovement during the last five years, mid, ii view of the many difficulties thai nterfcre with attendance in the case ol nese schools, it seems a very satisfactory csult that in about .a third of them the .veragc percentage of regularity reaches ID per cent. The total net expenditure ui Native schools for 1911 was £35,881, nd it was expenditure, it will be agreed, veil invested. Among the teachers in •barge of the schools arc three wh<s are hcinsclvps members of the Native race, .nd the inspectors speak highly of their tlicicncy, while several Maori girls who lave completed a secondary school course re employed as assistant?. Summing ip a lengthy report the inspectors ol s'ative schools say; "In reviewing tho ear's work, we feel that the schools have nadc steady advance in general efficiency. ,Yc liud that the teachers arc imbued nth a strong desire to make their schools uccossfiil. and welcome any suggestion nd assistance lending in that direction, 'laced as the majority of them are in ome of the most remote and isolated arts of the Dominion, they carry out heir duties with an enthusiasm and devotion that entitle them to every iredit and consideration."