MAORI EDUCATION

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 16, 19 January 1924, Page 7

MAORI EDUCATION

THE MINISTER'S AMBITION.

{11 TILEaitAPH.—SPECIAL TO TIIE POST.)

AUCKLAND, This Day. Interesting features of Maori education by the State were discussed by the Minister of Education, the Hon. C. J. Parr, in his address at the annual conference of the Native School Teachers' Association. New Zealand could claim, he said, that the education of the Native race was carried on by the Government more efficiently than in any other .part of the Empire. There were 126 schools, with a total roll number of 6140'," including Native mission schools' and Native secondary schools, Tho total number of Maori children examined by the Department during the year was 6987. In the last four years there had been an increase in attendance of over 1000 children. This was clear evidence that the Maoris to-day realised the value of education. In regard to higher education^ there were 110 free places, four nursing scholarships, and six university scholarships, including two at the Medical School, held .by Maoris. "It i 8 my abition, as far as Maori education is concerned, to see a, little more done m the matter of secondary education " added the Minister. ''That branch should have a. strong vocational side. J-he policy of the Department should be to devise means by which the great bulk of the Native children should receive the secondary education. Such a policy would cost money, but funds held and invested by the Government from the disposal of Maori lands might well be used to'further the scheme." Maori leaders were anxious to support him in his' efforts to improve the educational facilities-for Native children, said Mr Parr. He emphasised strongly that the bias m secondary education should be toward useful mechanical and agricultural pursuits. They did not want to crowd the so-called learned callings.