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Māori Education Pre 1816
Māori educated some children in whare wānanga (houses of learning) education system. Māori children needed to have a positive attitude to work - e.g. gathering, harvesting, preparing food, weaving, carving and warfare - for the success and survival of the hapū and iwi. This was important, because missionaries commented later on how fast Māori could learn, a different perspective to the rhetoric about Māori later. It shows the emphasis of community as integral to Māori education. -
Thomas Kendall Establishes First Māori School
Thomas Kendall establishes first school for Māori along European lines of Education, in Rangihoua, Bay of Islands. Māori were interested in understanding the European world. Europeans wanted to establish biblical literacy in Māori. This began the journey of trying to get Māori to conform to European ideals. -
George Clarke observing Māori Schools
When George Clarke travelled through Waikato and Hauraki, he found a Māori school in nearly every village. It was estimated that by the early 1840s. Half of all Māori adults were able to read and write to some extend. This shows what Māori were capable of academically in schools that supported their identity -
Education Ordinance
George Grey supported the existing network of mission schools through the Education Ordinance which was based on - religious instruction instruction, industrial training, instruction in English, government inspection. This was based on the presumption that British civilisation was superior, meaning that Māori had a lot they needed to learn. This attitude shaped how Māori education was formed and integrated later. -
Native Schools Act 1858
Built on the Education Ordinance, provided funding for Māori schools, stipulating that Māori must board away from their Kāinga. Governments struggled to finance schools and resource them. Many schools taught in Māori. Most mission schools closed during the wars of the 1860s. This took Māori away from their local community. This was an integral part of their education and it was stripped away. -
1867 Native Schools Act
Native Schools Act established national Primary schools. Māori had to provide land, and contribute to the building and the Teacher’s salary. This was due to low funding. However, this placed responsibility on Māori, and enforced British educational ideals. -
1880 Native School Code
The Native School Code standardised conditions for school establishment, curriculum, hours of instruction, governance etc... These standardisations enforced British values in education. -
Compulsory Schooling
Schooling became compulsory for Māori. This was an attempt to ensure all Māori was literate. This was a positive move, but it was still under the values and aims of British educational ideals. -
Cultural Renaissance
Āpirana Ngata initiates a Māori cultural renaissance. This would later have an impact on Māori Schools -
Correspondence School Established
The Correspondence School was established to provide education for children living in isolated areas, or with disabilities. This is a positive step for students in rural areas, however it separates students with disabilities from mainstream schooling experiences. Possibly due to lack of wheelchairs / technology or societal bias. First Intermediate Schools are trialled. Introducing a now established part of NZ education. -
Correspondence School Offers Secondary
The Correspondence School now offers Secondary classes, meaning that everyone in theory had access to Secondary education. -
1930s Māori Arts and Crafts Introduced
Māori Arts and Crafts are introduced to native schools with mixed success. This is an attempt to uphold Māori culture and values. Secondary schooling becomes free, removing even more barriers to this education, which means that more people can take part, especially children from poorer families. -
Proficiency Exam Abolished
The Proficiency Exam is abolished. Now children only need to complete standard 6 (year 8) satisfactorily in order to move onto Secondary School. This is yet another limitation which has been removed, ensuring students had more access to Secondary education, and shows the changing values of society. -
Native District High Schools established
Native District High Schools were established by adding a Secondary department to already existing schools. This meant that opportunities for Secondary Education were becoming even more widespread -
School Leaving Age Raised
School leaving age raised to 15. Removing last barrier for students whose parents could not see value in Secondary education. -
Māori become more urbanised
Māori become more urbanised and attend mainstream schools -
Māori Schools
Māori Schools reach peak number of 166, meaning that more Māori students have access to school. -
The Hunan Report
The Hunan Report identified Māori disadvantage and advocated integration. -
Secondary Pupils rises
Number of Secondary pupils is at 149,063. This means that more families are seeing the benefit of Secondary education. -
Māori Schools Transferred
Remaining Māori Schools are transferred to Regional Educational Board control. In theory this means that educational standards would be similar. -
Period: to
David Lange radically changes Primary and Secondary Education
Labour Minister for Education David Lange radically reformed Primary and Secondary education. These changes included giving parents and teachers the power to decide the changes and direction of schools. This means that parents and teachers can help shape schooling systems to more actively benefit students. -
School Leaving Age Raised
The School leaving age is raised to 16, further limiting any pressure students might have from parents to leave school earlier. -
Period: to
NCEA became main Secondary Qualification
The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) became the main Secondary school qualification, replacing School Certificate, University Entrance, Sixth Form Certificate and Universary Bursary. The effect of this move is that the system of education, the way students are assessed all changed.