Government continues to fail Maori in education

green-party

Thu Mar 15 2007 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Government continues to fail Maori in education

Thursday, 15 March 2007, 2:31 pm
Press Release: Green Party

15 March 2007

The decline in Maori participation in tertiary reflects the Government's slashing of Maori support programmes, the Green Party says.

Figures released by the Education Ministry this week show that the participation of Maori in tertiary education declined from 22.7 percent of the adult Maori population in 2004 to 22.1 percent in 2005.

"I believe that these figures reflect the attack by the Government on Maori students through its slashing of Maori support programmes during the States Services review," Education Spokesperson Metiria Turei says.

"The most significant cut was to the Manaaki Tauira grants and the SSG that helped many Maori students into universities. Other support funding, that would help Maori women students with childcare and other support, were also cut, discriminating against this vulnerable group."

The figures show that Maori participation rates in sub-degree qualifications exceed those of non-Maori while, at bachelor and postgraduate levels, participation rates had leveled off and were slightly below those of non-Maori.

"The Government cannot be proud of the fact that most Maori participation was in sub degree courses, especially when it has viciously attacked the wananga, who provides much of this education service," Mrs Turei says.

"It is not good enough that Maori can only readily access the sub-degree courses. The government is failing Maori in the secondary school area and clearly in the tertiary sector as well.

"These results signal a major failing in Government policy, mostly in respect of its treatment and regard for Maori as a whole," Mrs Turei says.

ENDS

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