ITPs oppose university elitism

ITPs oppose university elitism

The Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics of New Zealand (ITP New Zealand) strongly opposes the University of Auckland’s proposal to restrict access to all undergraduate courses.

“New Zealand has a proud tradition of providing open access to tertiary education, including universities. That should not be changed in the Christmas rush”, said Dave Guerin, ITP New Zealand Executive Director.

“The University of Auckland has used government funding constraints as one reason for their rushed proposal. That assertion needs serious examination, as major changes to our tertiary education system should not be hidden in the appendix of a funding agreement. This debate should be widened to examine the effect of restricting entry across the tertiary education sector, as other institutions will inevitably follow the University of Auckland’s example. ”

“There have always been restrictions in courses that have a high cost, such as dentistry, or very high demand, such as law, and it is sensible to place some limits on access. Limiting all courses simply closes off students’ options.”

The ITP Charter, signed by ITP New Zealand’s members, states that ‘access to meaningful and relevant education in an appropriate and responsive learning environment is an inalienable right of all students’. ITP New Zealand promotes that access for our students, and believes that it should apply equally to the university sector.

ENDS

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