An eye on Maori success

Maori are being inspired to take an academic path. Photo / Martin Sykes.

Michael Walker went to university in the 1970s he could count the number of fellow Maori studying science on one hand.

As the son of educationists Ranginui and Deidre Walker, he felt comfortable in the academic environment. But few other Maori and Pacific Island students, whatever their field of study, could cope with university life.

"We used to lose two-thirds of our Maori and Pacific students in the first six weeks."

Professor Walker has gone on to a stellar research career in Auckland University's school of biological sciences, work he mixes these days with his role as co-director of Nga Pae o te Maramatanga, the Maori centre for research excellence.

Maori are not only entering our universities in record numbers, they are graduating and going on to post-graduate qualifications before making their mark in the real world. The growing number with science qualifications are inspiring young Maori to think about science as a career option, at the same time injecting a Maori dimension to scientific research.

Nga Pae represents the tertiary end of initiatives at all levels of schooling to raise Maori achievement. They seem to be working.

Retention rates at secondary school are improving, with more Maori students lasting through to the end of year 13.

The number of Maori school leavers qualified to attend university rose from 14,162 in 2002 to 22,084 in 2007, or from 27 per cent to 39 per cent of Maori school leavers.

Nearly one in five Maori are going on to tertiary studies, twice the rate of Pakeha school leavers.

The numbers graduating and going on to post-graduate university studies are soaring (see factbox).

"We are starting to see not just the odd person that gets to the top but a number of Maori scientists with international reputations and people who've just finished PhDs finding their way," says Walker. "So we have a continuous line between people starting PhDs through to senior scientists, which we haven't had before.

"Pretty well all these people are contibuting back to the nation and to Maori development in some way, which in turn has the ability to inspire younger Maori students."

Nga Pae's services include mentoring and support for students who may be isolated in some courses, training workshops, research funding and grants and a knowledge exchange programme. Major funder the Tertiary Education Commission contributes about $5 million annually.