11. TE URUROA FLAVELL (Māori Party—Waiariki) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
How does the Minister account for Māori students being nearly three times as likely as non-Māori to leave school with little or no formal attainment?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
The Government inherited an education system that clearly did not meet the needs of Māori, as the member will know. We have set ourselves the very clear goal of transforming that system to ensure Māori do succeed. That has included major research on what works for Māori students, such as the work by Russell Bishop, which I am sure the member is familiar with; the Hui Taumata process, which is now in its fifth year and involves educators from all over the country; many new resources such as the $26 million for te reo; and the Māori education strategy that the member, I am sure, has hold of. Of course, I have to draw to the member’s attention that resolving the issues of education of Māori will not just be an education issue. It will relate to family responsibility, parenting skills, housing, employment—large numbers of things will come into the success story. But, certainly, we are doing our bit.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Is the Minister concerned that more than 61 percent of all schools are unable to provide consistent evidence of improved learning outcomes for Māori students, that 17 percent can provide no evidence, and that, in fact, only 9 percent had substantial evidence of improved outcomes for Māori over time; and, given this, what commitment is he prepared to make to improve the achievement of Māori students?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I draw the member’s attention back to my first answer, which shows that the Government has, over the last 7 years, certainly shown its commitment. I think one of the things that helps with the ongoing measurement is, for example, the annual report on Māori education that I have here in my hand. While that report does show that some schools are not very good at reporting on these particular issues, we do now have a very good record of achievement over the past 7 years. Members can see that there is steady progress. I repeat, it will not just be education that makes the difference here. Something as fundamental as family life comes into this, as well. But steady progress has been made over the last 7 years.
Hon Marian HobbsHon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
There has been, in the words of Mason Durie, “a major transformative experience for the education sector” under the policies of the Labour-led Government. Many more students are achieving qualifications under the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). In 2002, 35 percent of Māori school-leavers left with low attainment; by 2004 this had dropped to 25 percent. In 2004, 12 percent of Māori school-leavers achieved the university entrance qualification or better, up from 8 percent in 2002. Now, of course, Māori are moving on to tertiary education at a higher rate than the population as a whole.
Pita ParaoneTēnā koe, Madam Speaker. Can the Minister confirm that the percentage of Māori leaving school with little or no formal attainment dropped from 34.9 percent to 25.4 percent from 2002 to 2004; and while the figure for Māori is double that for all school leavers, there has, in fact, been a positive move in the right direction?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Yes, I can confirm that those figures are there. It is steady improvement; it will not be radical, because there is a complex of reasons why Māori underachievement has been there, but we are getting on top of it. To the member who asked before for Mason Durie’s quote, I refer him to Māori Achievement: Anticipating the Learning Environment of the Hui Taumata Mātauranga in 2004 for the full quote. Of course, he could also just ring him.
Hon Brian Donnelly Link to this
Can the Minister confirm that the annual report on Māori education claims that a review of three ethnically targeted parent support and development programmes—two targeted at Māori—found that risk factors such as parental education and socio-economic status were far more accurate predictors of poor educational outcomes than ethnicity?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Yes, that is absolutely right, and it is why, for example, programmes such as the SKIP programme have been so successful, not just for the families in parenting but it has followed on to schools, which recognise the change in the behaviour of the students.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Does the Minister agree with the Minister of Māori Affairs, who said in this House yesterday that “What has to be understood … is that Māori are decreasing in the negative statistics three to four times quicker than Pākehā.”; if so, how does he account for the fact that NCEA levels for Māori students remain significantly lower than for non-Māori students in years 11, 12, and 13?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
In the way that I have accounted before. I think we have had a system that has not served Māori well, because they have been asked to fit into the system rather than the system addressing their particular learning needs. But on top of that, I think we are talking about the issues raised by Mr Donnelly; for example, parenting, family background, the fact that people often come from homes where there is not a high level of education, and they are often in lower socio-economic groups. These are very complex issues, as the member, I know, knows, but I also understand that he knows that we are doing what we possibly can in the education area right now and we are seeing steady, positive results.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Does the Minister agree with his official Rāwiri Brell, who stated in today’s select committee that the ministry advocates learning to be by communities, of communities, and for communities; if so, does he agree that it would logically follow that, for Māori communities, “by Māori, of Māori, for Māori” is a worthwhile goal that should be supported; if not, why not?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I agree it is a worthwhile goal but I point out that what really makes the difference for any student is not that we simply have by/for Pākehā, or by/for Tongan, or by/for Māori, but the experience in the classroom of teaching and learning. Regardless of the setting, there still has to be effective teaching. So, yes, I agree it is a worthwhile goal, but I would still want to add on top of that good leadership in the schools, good resourcing, effective teaching, and all the components that go towards a good education.