Mixed response to call for open university access for Maori

Personally I incline toward allowing open access to Maori at University. I understand that many people (mostly past and present students) would like to preserve the aura of elitism that limited access provides, but in my opinion universities lost that a couple of decades ago when they were told to play by the rules of the market economy, which in tertiary terms means putting bums on seats. I can recall when a couple of departments at Otago were threatened with closure because they were unable to attract sufficient numbers of students to justify their existance and as I recall the university lost it's Russian department on those grounds. So much for the sanctity of university learning.
So rather than all this precious talk about preserving standards I'd like to see a bit more raw pragmatism. Ask yourself the question 'is it in New Zealand's national interest that more Maori become doctors?' Yes, it probably is. Teachers? More than likely. Nurses, engineers, librarians, and art historians? All probably yes, and why? Because when parents are educated then it's more likely their kids will be educated, and education is one of those core things (along with mum and dad staying together) that builds a healthy community. I think open Maori access to university would be a pragmatic move that may help reduce all those horrible statistics in which Maori have been over-represented for so long.
Another reality is that an awful lot of kids, Maori and otherwise, under-perform at school. Many kids don't get the chance to bloom until long after they've left. I was pleased to read on the Otago University homepage that they have made allowances for people aged 20 and over to attend.

If this proposal goes ahead, the next argument will be that the dice are loaded against Maori performing well at university so they should be automatically given open access to postgraduate programmes, and so on and so on. Why not short-curcuit the Maori Party's escalating demands and immediately open negotiations with the University of Oxford to ensure that all Maori who enrol at a university are awarded a Rhodes Scholarship? Or maybe that won't suffice.......

University entrance must not be 'dumbed-down' in a futile attempt to assist one group. Pushing them into situations they are ill-equipped for and bound to fail at will also lead to inefficiencies and devalued qualifications. A group's education problems must be treated at the source, in the home when the children are young. They need good role models - parents who themselves are always trying to educate and better themselves. Children imitate their elders.

What is the incentive for Maori to pass at school if there is open entry? Why should they even do exams? If you can't pass high school how are you going to pass tertiary level study? If anything, invest more at the secondary level to help more Maori make the tertiary grade. Instead of handing over a free ticket that all other secondary school student's have to work for. It is pure discrimination.

Racially based policies are not helpful to anyone. Academic standards must be maintained in Universities and all individuals have an opportunity to attend. You meet the crieria, you enter. With the government setting funding criteria on degree completions, this type of policy could be potential suicide for any university agreeing to open entry.