Media Release
18 June 2009

Māori tertiary students need funding, not words

“Minister of Māori affairs, Dr Pita Sharples is right to open up a debate about the low rate of progression by Māori students into universities”, says TEU president Tom Ryan. “There can be no doubt that creative solutions have to be found to increase the levels of access, participation, and completion rates of Māori in higher education.”

But the minister also should reflect, Dr Ryan proposed, on the fact that he is part of a government that recently has reduced spending for the wider tertiary education sector, which includes universities, wānanga, institutes of technology and polytechnics, and private training establishments.

“Currently enrolled Māori students will be foremost amongst those hurt by these cutbacks. The cuts also will reduce even further the number of Māori students progressing on from the secondary sector”, said Dr Ryan.

“Māori staff working in the tertiary sector also are going to be negatively affected by this recent budget, as institutions use it as a reason to enforce restructurings and redundancies. Many kaupapa Māori and other Māori-focused programmes have been put under pressure in recent years, and we are concerned that now this will get worse.”

Ryan said that the whole sector needs to work collaboratively, along with government and Māori leaders and communities, to make it possible for a greater number of young Māori to engage in, and succeed in, higher education. “Institutions should take care to prioritise Māori programmes and the needs of Māori students and staff.”

“At the end of the day, however, the crucial issue is funding. Māori and other under-represented groups can be given the chance to avoid unemployment and under achievement by government investment in our tertiary education system.”

ENDS