Figure 1.--Maori Culture Group performance the haka at the opening of a new classroom. Note the participation by both Maori and Pakeha boys.
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Figure 1.--Maori Culture Group performance the haka at the opening of a new classroom. Note the participation by both Maori and Pakeha boys. |
The conflict between the Maoris and the European settlers in the mid-19th century looked by the end of the century as if the Europeans had virtually destroyed Maori culture. Some obsevers at the turn of the 20th century saw the Maori as a dieing people destined to be a tiny fraction of the New Zealand population with a lost culture. The Maori have, however, revived. They have been joined by an influx of people from the Pacific Islands. Modern New Zealand schools are no longer transplanted English schools, but rather having to deal with with the often perplexing issues of multi-cultural education. The country's schools are increasingly embracing the modern view of New zealand as a multi-cultural socitey. All schools have introduces Maori studys into the program to varying dregrees
New Zealand schools have long been dominated by European values. The country's public schools were founded by the European communities and the British colonial Government. After the defeat of armed Maori resistance in the early 1870s, most Maori parents shunned Government elementary schools, viewing them as the imposition of an alien society. Only slowly did Maori parents begin sending their children to school. Maoris were not excluded from Pakeha schools, but living patterns meant that they usually went to schools with mostly Maori enrollments. Maoris who did attend elementary school generally attended rural schools set in their own communities. Even fewer Maoris enrolled in the early secondary schools which had rigorous academic programs and primarily served relatively affluent families. Maori faces are extremely rare in secondary school photographs even as late as the 1920s and 30s. (See: "Maori Education.") New Zealand schools, both public and private focused on British culture and Maori culture and language was not taught or recognized as subjects of value. This philosophy not only dominated at Pakeha schools, but Maori schools as well.
Major changes have occurred in New Zealand schools since the end of World War II as educators are increasingly recognizing the country's rich cultural diversity. School officials are embarrassing efforts to open the school system to allow Maoris and other ethnic minorities to succeed. New Zealand teachers are still largely European. Many find the demands of multi-culturalism understandably daunting. [Dennis : pursue]
New Zealands schools in recent years have revised the curriculum to ensure that Maori history and culture is addressed and that the former exclusion of Maori studies be rectified. The schools are also giving ibcreasing attention to the Maori language, both teaching it as a language and providing opportunities for students to study in Maori.
Maori studies and, to a lesser extent, Pacific Island studies, have been introduced into the curriculum at all academic levels. Elementary students learn Te Reo Maori (Language) and Taha Maori (i.e. all things Maori). A programme of Maori Studies is run in the classroom by classroom teachers (often with support from Maori parents) that covers
pronunciation, greetings, basic everyday vocabulary, counting, commands, place names, colours, food, games, waiata, legends and art. Students can also become involved with the performing Maori Culture Group.
Most Maori students remain within the mainstream education system. An increasing number of Maori students are now taking advantage of one of the most important developments
in New Zealand education, the growth of Maori medium (language) education. There is now a strong demand for Maori language education throughout the New Zealand education system.
This growth has been stimulated by the revival of te reo Maori (the Maori language). Language is at the centre of any culture and education system. The programmes
developed to preserve their language have given Maori the opportunity to design the kind of education they want, and one that meets the needs of both adults and
children. The language revival began with the establishment of kohanga reo (Maori language early childhood centres) and continued with kura kaupapa (Maori medium schools). Growing numbers of Maori students are also enrolled in bilingual and Maori language immersion classes in mainstream schools.
New Zealand has a significant and growing Pacific Island population with its own unique educational needs. The importance of meeting these needs is also growing,
with Pacific Islands' students showing lower levels of achievement than other students at senior secondary level. For the first time a formal education plan has been developed specifically for Pacific Island education. Its name - Ko e Ako a e Kakai Pasifika - means "education is the key to unlocking the potential of the Pacific Island community to pursue its own self-betterment". The Ministry of Education developed a draft plan in consultation with representatives from the various Pacific Island communities. These include the Samoan, Cook Islands, Tongan, Niuean, Tokelauan and Fijian communities.
Areas to be considered for policy development include:
early childhood education, language groups and bilingual education;
students at risk of educational failure;
research projects to identify and evaluate the best programmes and education structures;
community languages policy and Pacific Islands curriculum statements;
participation in post-compulsory education and training;
resourcing; and
training, and keeping the services of, Pacific Island teachers.
The plan brings together information and policy programmes designed to support the increased participation and achievement of Pacific Islands students in all areas
of education, from early childhood through to post-compulsory education and training. In the school sector the plan aims to support initiatives that will raise the
achievement levels of Pacific Islands students in the essential learning areas. These initiatives focus on a wide range of areas such as total schooling improvement,
management and governance, Pacific Islands teacher development and resources for teaching.
The plan will continue to be refined, revised and adapted to reflect the changing needs of Pacific Islands people.
New Zealand schools mirror the divisions in the society at large. Schools draw their students from the surrounding residential area. In many cases this means that some schools have much larger proportions of Maori or other ethnic groups than the population as a whole. Maori migration to urban areas since the 1930s has meant that several urban schools in Auckland and other North Island cities have large Maori student populations. There are no "bussing" programs to even out the proportion of ethnic groups. New Zealand does not have a system where the inner city public schools may be almost exclusively minority children.
Social interactions between Maori and Pakeha students are interesting to observe. Elementary children seem to mix easily and freely. Secondary students during free time at breaks and lunch can sometimes be observed to cluster in their own separate monochromatic groups, reflecting the larger division of New Zealand society. This is not a novel situation. Ethnic groups in American and other public schools have engaged in similar "ethnic massing". Lee Daniels who is studying ethnic massing writes,"Ethnic massing was both a defense mechanism and a means of shoring up one's group--and hence individual--identity in the face of exclusion." This separateness, however, does not nearly approach the level of separateness which persists in American schools. There is much more mixing in New Zealand schools. Nor does social interaction and inner marriage carry the same social connotation as black-white interactions are generally viewed in America. There is in fact an impressive degree of social interaction between Maori and Pakeha youngsters at most schools. It is very common to see mixed groups of friends playing games are enjoying their lunch together. It is likely that there is more interaction between Maori and Pakehas in the schools than in any other aspect of New Zealand life.
There is considerable academic separation. The more advanced academic courses generally have fewer Maori students. The streaming system common in most secondary schools tends to separate the Maori and Pacific Island children to the weaker academic streams. Many indicators show that Maori and Pacific Isaknd children are encountering serious difficvulties in school. Academic achievement is far below Pakeha levels. Maori and Pacific Island children are much more likely to become behavioral problems and to be disciplined and suspended. Fewer Maori and Pacific Island children continue to the 7th form. Those that do are less likely to achiever high exam results than Pakeha youngsters.
The Minisytry of Education is attempting to address the gap between the achievement of Maor and Pakeha students. The Ministry of Education's strategy for Maori Education is Nga Haeata Matauranga. It was first developed in 1991 and is revised each year as progress is made.
In 1999 Nga Haeata focuses on:
1. Continued support for Maori language initiatives in education;
2. Continued support Maori children in early childhood and parent education;
3. Continued support for Maori schools;
4. Supporting links between Maori and education providers;
5. Continued support for Maori in teaching;
6. Continued support for Maori in tertiary education;
7. Increasing the Ministry of Education's responsiveness to Maori;
8. Continued support for Maori education research;
9. Encouraging Maori education innovation and initiative;
10. Supporting efforts for more Maori authority and responsibility in education.
In 1997 the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Maori Development-Te Puni Kokiri worked together to develop a broad strategy to improve educational
opportunities, success and achievement for Maori. A public discussion document was released and was followed by 25 hui (meetings) throughout New Zealand.
This enabled parents, whanau (families), educators and communities with an interest in education to have an input into the development of the strategy. The next step
is for a strategy to be produced that will provide a framework to help improve Maori educational achievement in all parts of the education system.
