Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:658;Page:7384] 
11.  
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Education 
: Kua whakawhiwhia anotia ki tetahi tauira Maori e kuraina ana i nga kura nohanga Maori he karahipi Aspire; ki te kore he aha ai? 
[ 
Has any Maori student who attends a Maori boarding school received an Aspire Scholarship; if not why not? 
] 
Hon HEATHER ROY (Associate Minister of Education) 
: 
 No Aspire Scholarships have been allocated yet. The first round of applications for the 2010 academic year closed on 14 October with a ballot to select recipients scheduled for 30 October. A second ballot will be held on 4 November. To date 350 applications have been received including some on behalf of Maori children to allow students from low-income houses to have more choice of school by attending an independent school. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: He aha tana mo nga tauira Maori e ngakaunui ana ki te uru atu ki nga kura nohanga Maori engari e kore e taea na te mea kua pau te putea o te karahipi Mapihi Poutama katahi kua aukatihia hoki te karahipi Aspire ki a ratou a e ai ki ta te Hautu Kahurangi o Aotearoa  
“ 
most Maori students are beneficiaries of an iwi or hapu trust and thus appear to be excluded from the scholarship.”? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
What choice has she offered Maori students who aspire to attend Maori boarding schools but cannot attend because Mapihi Pounamu Scholarship funding is inadequate and Aspire scholarships are not offered for Maori boarding schools and according to the Tertiary Education Union “most Maori students are beneficiaries of an iwi or hapu trust and thus appear to be excluded from the scholarship.”? 
] 
Hon HEATHER ROY 
: I advise those wishing to apply for a scholarship that they should seek advice from the Ministry of Education not from the union. But students are eligible for Aspire Scholarships if they are from households that have an annual income of $65000 or less and a net worth of $150000 or less. Students then take their scholarship to enrol at the independent school of their choice. As currently no Maori boarding schools are independent schools they are not an option at this time. However the two independent Maori day schools are able to accept Aspire Scholarships and Maori students can apply for scholarships to attend any other independent school. A number of boarding bursaries are also available to students. If students win a boarding bursary and an Aspire Scholarship then they would indeed be able to attend a boarding school if it was independent. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: He aha nga whakaaro o te Minita mo te whakapaunga o te tekau ma rima mano taara ki te tuku i te tauira kotahi ki te kura whai rawa ahakoa tokorua nga tauira ka uru ki nga kura nohanga Maori mo taua tekau ma rima mano taara? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Does the Minister believe that one student receiving a $15000 scholarship to attend an elite private school is a better use of the education dollar than two students receiving scholarships to attend Maori boarding schools the average fees of which are $7500 per year? 
] 
Hon HEATHER ROY 
: I am not in a position to say which schools are better. Students have the ability to apply for an Aspire Scholarship and then should they be awarded one take it to an independent school of their choice. The intention of these scholarships is to widen the choice for students and they have been targeted specifically at children from low-income households to allow them a choice that they otherwise would not have.