Hon Bill English

National Education Spokesman

27 May 2004

Maharey's waste-based tertiary policy

Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) will get away with paying tens of thousands of dollars in inducements to get people to enrol in its courses, even though it's against the Government's rules, says National's Education spokesman, Bill English.

The Government's funding rules expressly state that tertiary institutions cannot pay or induce people to enrol in tertiary courses.

"The polytech has admitted spending more than $80,000 on music, book and petrol vouchers which were given to students recruited through shopping malls and public libraries. Schools and libraries also received $20 for each enrolment.

"CPIT received $795 in community education funding for each person who filled in an enrolment form and took the CD away. There was no assessment and no follow-up, and now, it seems, no accountability.

Steve Maharey told Parliament yesterday that the rules are being reviewed, but indicated that no action would be taken against Christchurch Polytechnic.

"This failure of accountability has sent a message to everyone in the tertiary sector that the rules don't count under this Minister.

"Students up and down the country who have to scrimp and save just to make ends meet will be mortified to see Steve Maharey sitting on his hands while millions of dollars of public money is wasted," says Mr English.

ENDS

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