Some aspects of Maori university education in New Zealand

Abstract

Research into the educational performance of Maoris in New Zealand schools has so far been undertaken largely with primary school age children Lovegrove, M. N. 1965 & 1966; McCreary J. R. 1966; Benton, R. A. 1965 Smith, L, 1956; and McClew, A. 1958. With regard to other sectors of the educational system, Ausubel has considered the achievements and aspirations of secondary school children Ausubel, D. P. 1961, and Walker has examined the backgrounds, attitudes and values of Maori teacher trainees Walker, R. 1965. Fitzgerald has investigated the social position of Maori university graduates, although the report is only an interim one Fitzgerald, T. K. 1968. No systematic research, however, has been undertaken with regard to Maori university students. This thesis, therefore, attempts to remedy this omission by providing first, quantitative data on Maori students at University, and the trends in student numbers over the period 1956 to 1968 and secondly, qualitative data by comparing Maori university students with Pakeha students and with non-university Maoris. The first chapter attempts to synthesize the research literature on Maori school attainment (necessarily related to levels of the school system other than the university) and provide a theoretical basis for an empirical research study. Because of the almost complete lack of any published statistical data on Maoris at university it was found necessary initially to undertake a separate, descriptive piece of research in order to establish the number of Maori students attending universities in New Zealand. The findings of this research are reported in Chapter Two. Chapter Three evolved also from the need to assemble basic data, and is a statistical comparison of Maori and Pakeha university students on ten selected academic variables.