The number of Maori and Pacific Island students at Auckland Grammar this year has dropped because of zoning, says National's education spokesman, Nick Smith.
Figures giving the number of third formers enrolled show 37 Maori and Pacific Island students in the third form last year and 24 this year.
The number
of Asian students enrolled in the third form has risen from 66 to 117.
Dr Smith said Maori and Pacific Island students were being locked out by a law which "favours wealthy parents".
"This law is proving a winner for real estate agents and new migrants at the expense of ordinary New Zealand families striving for a top education."
Headmaster John Morris said he believed the drop in Maori and Pacific Island students was directly related to the zoning law.
"Two years ago we could take a few people from out of the zone, and we used to like to take Maori and Pacific Island students.
"But this year we accepted no out-of-zone students who were not siblings of boys at the school."
Mr Morris said be believed 80 per cent of the Maori and Pacific Island students beginning at the school this year did not live in zone but had brothers at the school.
"So if we didn't accept siblings there would be virtually no Maori and Pacific Island students."
