Maori students opposed to education course cuts

Cuts to courses the Government says are low quality will reduce Maori participation in tertiary education, a Maori students' organisation says.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard yesterday announced a $160 million shake-up of the tertiary sector, slashing funding for low quality courses and putting the money into apprenticeships and adult literacy programmes.

The review was ordered after a series of scandalous disclosures about courses such as twilight golf and radio sing-alongs, and accusations of enrolment scams to grab taxpayer money.

Te Mana Akonga, the National Maori Tertiary Students' Association, said many Maori tertiary students were outraged by the cuts.

Association spokeswoman Veronica Tawhai said the Government was happy to take credit for an increase in Maori participation at tertiary level but then attacked the courses behind the increase.

"These changes are a major backward step for Maori tertiary education," Ms Tawhai said.

Before yesterday's changes the Government had already capped the number of students that can be enrolled for certificate and diploma courses and reduced their funding after 116 per cent growth between 2000 and 2004.

"More than 80 per cent of Maori students start their studies at certificate and diploma level, and then staircase, often to higher level courses, as they become familiar with tertiary study," Ms Tawhai said.

"These cuts will have a rapid and devastating impact on Maori enrolments across the board. They are hugely punitive and short-sighted."

The Government says it will cut what it considers are low quality and low relevance courses.

Ms Tawhai added: "Te Mana Akonga will be watching very closely for what government considers 'quality' and 'relevance'. The track record to date suggests that Maori focused courses will be singled out for elimination."

Mr Mallard yesterday said the important consideration was the quality of the education funded.

"Polytechnics and wananga should not be trying to maintain their viability through low cost, low value education," he said.

- NZPA