Thursday, June 18, 2009
Open entry for Maori part of overall tertiary strategy

Māori Studies lecturer Veronica Tawhai says the call by Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples for open entry for Māori to universities should not be treated in isolation from the overall plan.

Miss Tawhai says what Dr Sharples is talking about is a three-pronged, comprehensive plan for Māori development in the tertiary sector that deserves support.

“Consideration of open entry, increased support for Māori academic achievement, and greater recognition of kaupapa Māori, proposed by Dr Sharples, is a comprehensive strategy towards improving levels of Māori educational attainment at tertiary level. These three aspects together is what is going to make a difference."

In 2005 major cuts were made to Maori tertiary education, partly in favour of greater funding to the secondary school sector, she says. This included the disestablishment of both scholarships and support programmes to enhance Maori access and achievement in tertiary education. "This cut in support has never been restored, and students who began tertiary studies after 2005, who were disadvantaged at secondary school, are now doubly disadvantaged as the support they should have had in the tertiary sector had been moved to the school sector.

“While secondary schools start working towards better preparing Māori students to achieve in future, obviously tertiary institutes still need to address those Māori in tertiary study today.

“Both the secondary and tertiary sectors of education need to be working together towards greater Māori academic achievement. Tertiary institutes need to reach out to where the secondary sector is currently falling short: open entry for those still experiencing difficulties at gaining university entrance, enhanced academic support to ensure they develop the necessary academic skills to achieve while they are there, and recognition of kaupapa Māori would be a great start. It would help better meet the realities that Māori face now, as opposed to just waiting for better circumstances in the future.”

ENDS