CAMPAIGN for EDUCATION

Te Ao Hou, September 1955, Page 6

CAMPAIGN for EDUCATION should be earmarked for education, if the Maori people agreed. The meeting listened to many experts explaining just where the difficulties in Maori education lay—experts on schools, on adult education, apprenticeships, hostels, vocational guidance and university study. A resolution was passed in these words: “This conference realises the need for more education and increased Maori intake in trades and professions and it resolves to launch a campaign to influence and help Maori parents to keep their children at school for longer periods than is the case at present with this object in view. This campaign will be conducted by an executive consisting of: Mr T. T. Ropiha, Chairman, Mr C. M. Bennett, Mrs H. D. Bennett, Mrs W. Cooper, Messrs T. A. Carroll, M. te Hau, P. Hura. M. R. Jones, P. te H. Jones, H. K. Ngata, W. T. Ngata, W. Parker, R. Royal. Dr. M. Winiata. The Wellington members will form a central committee to deal with campaign details. The campaign intends to do two things:— First, increase awareness of the problem of such people as Hori and Second, find practical ways to solve it. The Maori Education Campaign was opened exactly five years after Sir Apirana Ngata's death. Sir Apirana passed away on July 14, 1950, and the campaign was opened on July 14, 1955. ‘May his spirit strengthen our work,’ said Mr Corbett.

Leading Maoris study the agenda of the Maori Educational Campaign Conference against the background of fine leather bindings in the Turnbull Library, Wellington. Photo: Dominion A lot depends on the attitude of the parents and of the parents' knowledge of educational matters. For this reason, a good part of the campaign will be given over to organising lectures and meetings, and to spreading information through radio, pamphlets and other means. The executive also decided to make a film about Maori education. The conference resolved to solicit the co-operation of the Churches, the Maori Women's Welfare League, the Tribal Executives and Committees, Adult Education and all other organisations which can be of assistance. Meetings all over the country will soon be organised. The organisational work is in the hands of Messrs E. G. Schwimmer and M. J. Taylor, but a member of the executive or another prominent Maori personality will be associated with all meetings among the Maori people. At these gatherings, educational questions will be discussed and ways will be sought to solve difficulties that block progress. The Maori Education problem is too complex to be solved in this campaign. Thousands of parents and teachers are working on it day after day, and yet, in the last resort even their concern is not enough for everything finally all depends on the ability of the children to adapt themselves to ways of study often entirely strange to their Maori environment. Even so, many obstacles in Maori education might be overcome by looking carefully just where it is that things go wrong and what we can do to help the children. Is anything wrong with the home environment? Is there enough contact between parents and teachers? Does the child decide early enough what he wants to do after leaving school, and does this decision take full account of his aptitudes and opportunities. Is lack of accommodation in the city for the Maori student and apprentice holding many young people back? It is impossible to say, at this stage, how much this campaign will really solve, but even now it is quite clear that the government and the Maori people are equally strong in their desire to fight a hard struggle against the evil of missed opportunities. —E.S. The Coronation celebration at Turangawaewae on October 8th this year will be attended by the Honourable Mr E. B. Corbett. Among matters to be discussed during the meeting, are the reorganization of marae Committees and the formation of Tainui Youth Club organizations. Basketball, rugby and athletic event are being arranged by the organizers, Messrs E. Tukere, W. Poutapu and T. Reweti who advise Te Ao Hou that they are anxious to get more entries. At the time of this hui, which will last from Friday, October 7th, to the following Sunday, it is hoped that more news will also be available about the education campaign.