REAP calls for more Maori input

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 473, 16 February 1993, Page 5

REAP calls for more Maori input

The members of the Ruapehu Rural Education Activities Programme (REAP) council spent much time discussing ways of increasing Maori input at their meeting on Monday night last week. A proposal had been put forward at the previous meeting for a Maori caucus to be formed. At the meeting the council debated the form, membership and the power that this group would have. There

are four Iwi places on the REAP council reserved for Maori representatives from the Ngati Kahungunu, Ngati Tuwharetoa, and Tamaupoko Iwi. Although all these places were filled at the start of the two year term attendance at council meetings has been erratic. Ruapehu REAP Council chairperson, Tauri Morgan, urged the council members to ask why Maori were largely unrepresented in a region where 28 per cent of

the population is Maori. His questions included: 'why didn't appointed members tum up at the first meeting? Why haven't they come back? Is our induction process culturally sensitive? How do we structure our meetings? Does REAP have a welcoming atmosphere? What protocols are in place? The council will meet once more before its Annual General Meeting on 26 April and Maori rep-

resentation will once again be on the agenda. Early Childhood group may end Early * childhood education came under scrutiny at last week's meeting of the Ruapehu Rural Education Activities Programme Inc (REAP). Currently three of the REAP council members combine with REAP early childhood workers and representatives from the region's playcentres, kindergartens, kohanga reo, preschool and child care facilities to form the REAP Early Childhood Education sub-committee. Meetings of the subcommittee are normally held in Waiouru but have not been well attended in the last six months. Council members questioned the need for the subcommittee. An early childhood meeting is planned for Monday 22 February when the group will discuss their future. RAP to be popular Ruapehu REAP manager, Marion Cleaver, re-

ported to the REAP council that she believed 1993 would be a busy year for REAP Assisted Projects (RAP). The RAP scheme was set up in 1992 in response to the need for REAP to effectively target its assistance to school and community groups. In 1992 $40,000 was budgeted for the RAP fund but less than half was allocated. This year Mrs Cleaver expects the full amount to be used. "We're already getting applications from schools who didn't use us last year. As the scheme has become better known more people are applying," she said. The rationale for the RAP scheme is to provide assistance for projects aimed at improving or enhancing the learning opportunities for rural students or community groups which cannot be met from other resources. Guidelines for applications have deliberately been very broad in an effort to encourage innovative ideas targeted at projects and groups which

would have no other source of funding. Last year 80 per cent of grants ($14,500) were to projects based at local primary schools, seven per cent to early childhood education groups and the remaining thirteen per cent to other community groups.

Applications are considered on the relevance of the programme taking into account the needs of the area. A panel of three REAP representatives meet fortnightly to consider applications. More information is available from the REAP office in Taihape.