Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples says he will push for open entry to university for Maori school leavers.
Dr Sharples says this would mean Maori could attend university, even if they had not gained university entrance qualifications at secondary school.
At present, anyone aged 20 or older can undertake some university courses without passing the high school exams. Dr Sharples would like to see this option extended to younger Maori.
He believes says secondary schools are failing to adequately prepare Maori students for university and further programmes are needed to bridge the gap, especially for those under 20.
The minister says the open entry system at wananga (Maori universities) does not require secondary school qualifications and should be adopted at mainstream universities.
However, Dr Sharples concedes he has little chance of getting the Government to agree to this at present.
He told Morning Report on Thursday the Government is unlikely to entertain the idea, due to current funding constraints, but he intends to keep pursuing it.
Dr Sharples is also asking for bridging courses to be set up for Maori students.
Maori educator Ranginui Walker believes the idea would be effective, based on the success of the Te Wananga O Aotearoa institutions.
The National Maori Tertiary Students Association says open entry to university for Maori would go a long way toward breaking down the barriers that prevent this group from entering higher education.
Association spokesperson Jacqueline Poutu says the education system needs to "reach out" to Maori.
Open entry not right approach - principals
The Secondary Principals Association says giving Maori students open entry to university is not the way to tackle Maori underachievement.
The association says the number of Maori students gaining entrance to tertiary study is increasing all the time.
Vice-president Paul Daley says that clearly shows some secondary school programmes are having an effect.
But Mr Daley says more work must be done to establish better links - not just between tertiary institutions and schools, but with homes.
The Tertiary Education Union says Dr Sharples is right to begin a debate about the low rate of progression by Maori students into universities.
But it says he should also reflect on the fact he is part of a Government that recently has reduced spending for the wider tertiary education sector, which includes universities, wanaga and polytechnics.
Auckland University vice-chancellor Stuart McCutcheon agrees that more Maori need to be encouraged to attend university, but does not believe open entry is the way forward.
Professor McCutcheon says more funding needs to be made available for universities to work with secondary schools to help prepare Maori for tertiary study.
Canterbury University vice-chancellor Rod Carr says a significant number of students attending bridging courses to gain entry to university do not succeed.
Dr Carr says of those who fail the bridging course, but still enrol in university, 90% go on to fail their course.
