THE PRIMARY SCHOOL

In New Zealand during the primary school years, the Maori child has a choice of going to a Maori school administered by the Education Department or to a board school. In Auckland, there are no Maori schools and therefore the Maori children go to the same primary school as the Europeans.

The Auckland Education Board does not make available any special facilities for teaching the Maori children in Auckland. The official view is that no discrimination will be made regarding

entrance and availability of courses. Maori children must take their place along with their pakeha friends. The education system requires that the programme of primary education include English, Arithmetic, Geography, History, Drawing, Handwork (including needlework for girls), Nature Study and Elementary Science, Vocal Music, Physical Instruction, Health Education, Civics and Moral Education. However, the liberal allowances made in the syllabus have given scope for many primary school headmasters and teachers to impart knowledge of Maori culture, especially when there is a Maori school teacher on the staff. Under the guidance of such teachers as Mr J. Tapiata, Mr R. Manihera and many others, children are taught stick games, Maori choir songs, handgames, legends and even elementary carving. these teachers are able to give the children valuable insight into Maoridom of old and at the same time supply an essential part of the child's development. A few teachers (Maori and pakeha) have used the special education on radio programmes which includes some aspects of Maori culture. Others have used tape recordings made by various student clubs in Auckland.

Another interesting feature of the Auckland education system is the generous work on the part of the Auckland Teachers' Training College Maori Club to put on a concert at various schools. Of course, it is up to the schools to invite them along to perform at the school and this is done with the help of the Parent-Teachers' Association. For example, at one school one Saturday a big Maori festival was held which included a number of large hangis and a two-hour concert programme by the Teachers' Maori Club. This proved such a success that other schools have taken advantage of this offer. Of course this idea is only in its embryonic stage, but it is so promising that it is hoped that other schools will invite and use these student teachers.

Another aspect pertaining to education is the increasing interest taken at Auckland Teachers' Training College, in Maori culture. At the college there is a Maori lectureship in which potential teachers Maori, and pakeha, are taught different aspects of Maori culture so that they are able to give the Maori children some knowledge of their own heritage. These student teachers are taught action songs, hakas, waiatas, string games, Maori myths and legends, elementary Maori language and aspects that are valuable to a teacher and to the child. Other organisations are hoping that Maori language could be taught in primary schools where there are quite a number of Maori children, but there are a number of problems that are encountered in organising this.

There are 1,330 registered Maori children in the metropolitan area. The greatest number of Maoris seem to be concentrated at the longer-settled areas of Auckland. The distribution of Maori children over the schools ranges from 0 to 120 Maori children. Generally the children do not go to a particular school because of better educational facilities, but because of the proximity of the school to their homes.

There are about 46 primary schools in Auckland which have Maori children. The following figures will show the Metropolitan schools where there is the greatest concentration.

In addition, it will show what percentage of the total population are Maoris and how many there are attending the school at the beginning of the school year 1958.

Napier St.	314	120	38.2
Glen Innes	704	84	11.9
Orakei	544	83	15.3
Tamaki	639	66	10.3
Parnell	478	63	13.2
Mangere Bridge	419	54	12.7
Pt. England	647	54	8.3
Te Papapa	590	49	8.3
Newton Central	424	47	11.1
Beresford St.	368	46	12.5
Avondale	641	43	6.7
May Rd.	699	31	4.4
Panmure	448	29	6.5
Onehunga	494	29	5.9
Kelston	532	28	5.3
3 Kings	373	21	5.6
Pt. Chevalier	546	19	3.5
Mt. Albert	659	19	2.9
Ponsonby	406	19	4.7
Titirangi	497	17	3.4
Richmond Rd.	595	16	2.7
Edendale	628	16	2.5
Fairburn Rd.	324	16	4.9
Newmarket	156	13	8.3
Grafton Rd.	155	13	8.4
Mt. Roskill	424	11	2.6
Te Atatu	333	10	3.0
Victoria Ave.	216	10	4.0
Auckland Hospital	46	10	21.7
Others	—	93	—

Unfortunately, the Board does not always place the available Maori teachers in those schools where the Maori roll is highest. Yet this might be helpful in the future. Such teachers would naturally not officially help the Maori children, but they would be on the spot if problems arose or if Maori culture lessons were needed.

THE INTERMEDIATE AND
TECHNICAL SCHOOL

After the children complete Standard 4 they have a choice of going to an intermediate school for another three years or continuing at the primary school for another two years. The aim of the intermediate school is “to provide a period of expansive, realistic and socially integrative education that will give all future citizens a common basis of experience and knowledge.” It is designed to introduce all children gradually and sympathetically to the world of industry, commerce and

the professions; and to help each child to a rational choice of future school course or occupation based on knowledge of his own aptitudes and interests and on the nature of the work involved.

However there are only a few Maoris who use the advantage offered by the intermediate school, not because they do not see the value in it but because it is more convenient to continue in the primary school. There is only one known Maori teacher in these schools in Auckland. Her actual teaching does not include Maori culture.

From intermediate schools or primary schools a Maori child has the choice of going to a post-primary school or a technical school of which the post-primary schools figure the most prominently as far as numbers are concerned. Technical schools were first established about 40 years ago partly as a result of the failure of the secondary schools to provide adequately for a short-course and non-academic pupil. These schools tend to serve those who will eventually find work in non-professional fields, though they offer advanced technological courses in their evening classes. There are no official figures regarding Maori children in these schools, but there are quite a few.

THE SECONDARY SCHOOL

Just over half the pupils entering post-primary schools leave at, or before, the end of their second year, a quarter at the end of their third year, and a quarter at the end of their fourth year or fifth year. An increasing number every year at the end of their third year attempt to secure a School Certificate. Generally there are no special facilities available although there is much talk and interest taken in New Zealand of introducing Maori language into such schools which have a fair proportion or number of Maoris. As yet this has not come into regular practice. However there are a few schools which cater specially for Maori boys and girls. Queen Victoria Maori Girls' School is a private Church school. Under the guidance of Mr J. Waititi, nearly all aspects of Maori culture are taught. The girls are taught Maori language so that by the time they are eligible for sitting School Certificate and University Entrance they are competent enough to site Maori language as one of their subjects. Maori material culture is studied only with myths and legends. The culture is studied as a broad basis for specific studies. It is in this school, in conjunction with St Stephens Maori Boys' School, that we find a fine concert group specifically showing off Maori dances such as hakas and action songs.

St Peter's Maori Boys' School in Northcote is another school which includes Maori lessons. This school is administered and conducted by the Roman Catholic Church. Many of the boys take part in their Maori opera which is presented every year in and around Auckland. These operas are based upon Maori stories. These operas have become very popular in Auckland and each year the public are always eager to attend the operas that give these boys scope for their flair in acting on stage.

An interesting feature is the interest taken by a public school in catering for its Maori pupils.

Auckland Girls' Grammar School has a fair number of Maori girls. Miss Gardiner, the principal, has called in Mr J. Waititi to teach Maori culture, past and present. There are 47 Maori girls at this school. Many of them completed two years of schooling in Auckland and were attending for the third year. It is interesting to note that hardly any of the girls, either at Auckland Grammar or Queen Victoria, are Maoris who reside in Auckland. they have come to school from outlying districts. These three schools are the only schools in the Auckland Metropolitan Area to give regular Maori instruction. Other keen Maori students seek lessons privately. Most of these Maori pupils return to their home town after finishing school but many also take up professional work in Auckland such as teaching, university studies, radiography or nursing.

SPECIAL SCHOOLS

A number of special schools are scattered throughout Auckland: Titirangi has a school for the deaf, Parnell has a school for the blind, Epsom a cerebal palsy centre, and Onehunga a backward class for slow learners. Newmarket has a remedial clinic, Auckland Hospital an educational centre, and Owairaka a school for difficult boys.

All these schools cater for Maoris as well as Pakehas. Each child is given special treatment and training. Many Maoris are becoming aware of these special facilities, for there is an increasing number taking advantage of them.

To sum up, Auckland's importance to the Maori as an educational centre can hardly be overemphasised: not only do city schools and colleges help to adapt the Auckland Maori to the social pattern of the urban community, but they also increasingly serve the Maoris from other parts of the province. To hundreds of young Maoris, Auckland is an educational Mecca from where they can radiate out to the villages and help in the successful adjustment of the Maori of the future.