ENLIGHTENED SYSTEM

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 88, 15 November 1939, Page 5

ENLIGHTENED SYSTEM

TEACHING IN NATIVE SCHOOLS

IN TUNE WITH MAORI LIFE

In speaking ai the opening of the new Paroa School last week the committee chairman Mr J. Riini said:—

Quite a new spirit has entered into the education scheme in native schools during the last few years.

The old system of schooling for Ma'ori' children was quite unrelated to the native life and the needs of the young generation in. the Kainga.

It left a deep and wide gap between tlYe school training and the actual faets and conditions of existence. Much of what was taught was altogether useless to the growing boy and' girl's. They were given a large amount of English education of little or no interest to the young Maori child',, and tliey were not given any help towards the improvement of their actual living condition, their education lacked a' practical side-

Now, ladies and gentlemen, a new light illuminates and inspires: the native school. Very little is known bv our pakeha 1 friends of the change for better iir Mkori ; ami an account of what is. now being done at a' typical school shotrtd arouse admiration for the leaders of the reform, and for the'young people who have shown Such intelligence and capacity for control of citizenship. In the Native Schools agricultural and social experiment in rural education is being carried on which is designed to qualify the young' Maori to take their place in the large community without any- serious interruption!.. When school is left behind the expupil will take away the- equipment necessary to meet any problem m full working order tested, tried, and improved in tlie school'. . This neAv outlook on Maori education had its beginning: in: the- inspiration of the senior inspector of Native Schools. Mr Ball, encouraged by the sympathetic- attitude of the Education Department and its Minister.

The Hon. Peter Fraser is not merely interested in the work of such schools,, he gives active encouragement to all tlie progressive' Ideas which Mr Ball and his teachers -ire putting into practice in every- native community where schools have bee*, established.