Separate But Equal

A system of government primary schools for Maori children created by Parliament in 1867 was regarded as a temporary measure until they learnt English and were Europeanised. But it lasted for 100 years despite criticisms of ‘ separatism' and ‘ pampering' of Maori.Official policies for the schools reflected European attitudes towards Maori, including the view that they were particularly suited to a practical, non-academic type of schooling leading to manual and domestic occupations. The policy of assimilation, designed to turn Maori into brown Europeans, was not modified until the 1930s when a cultural renaissance led by Apirana Ngata, combined with influences from anthropology and Britain's African education policies, contributed to a limited form of bi-culturalism.