Pressure is mounting on the government to get off the fence and start acting to stop the cuts that will decimate the tertiary education sector.

Yesterday, Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union joined Otago University Students Association and Victoria University Students association to publish an open letter to the TEC and government calling on them to save tertiary education in Aotearoa. Since its launch, some high-profile names have added their support, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Meanwhile, a petition launched last week asking the Government to urgently provide universities the funds to stop impending job cuts has already reached 3,000 signatures.

Tumu Whakarae | National President Dr Julie Douglas says “it’s been fantastic to see the widespread support for our members and the work they do pour in. Students, staff and the wider public all agree – universities are critical to the success and prosperity of Aotearoa and the government must treat them accordingly. They simply cannot sit on the sidelines and watch as tertiary education shrinks away due to poor funding.”

“We have been talking to Minister of Education Jan Tinetti, and our most recent meeting last Thursday was productive. She is listening to our calls and taking them seriously but the time for listening is now over. An immediate funding injection is needed to halt the job cuts at the universities proposing these significant reductions. This must then be followed by a serious discussion about how to fund this sector more sustainably. We can’t keep shifting the burden of a history of under-investment onto the shoulders of individuals and creating this level of uncertainty for both staff and students.”

Anyone who wants to support our campaign to stop the cuts to tertiary education can sign our petition here, and the open letter here.

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