Troubled wananga restructures council

Six executive director roles have been created at Te Wananga o Aotearoa as the institute restructures its management and waits to hear from Education Minister Trevor Mallard.

The wananga is waiting to see if Mr Mallard will disband the council and appoint a commissioner in its place.

Since February the wananga has been embroiled in allegations including financial mismanagement, dubious course quality and nepotism, and is awaiting an auditor-general's report into its management and operations.

The wananga has proposed the restructure, saying it will "consolidate financial gains by more effective governance and management structures".

In a submission to Mr Mallard last month, council chairman Craig Coxhead proposed that the council be reduced from 14 members to five and that it implement a new management structure.

Part of the proposed change has already happened, with key posts, including a new chief operating officer role, filled by interim appointments.

"The process for permanent appointments to these positions will be transparent and follow State Services Commission guidelines," Mr Coxhead said.

"The positions will be open to both internal and external candidates."

All positions will be based at the wananga's Te Awamutu head office and are expected to be filled by the end of October, chief operating officer John Mote said.

Mr Mote said yesterday the wananga had yet to hear from Mr Mallard on the tertiary provider's future and a spokeswoman for the minister said he had yet to release his decision.

Last week Mr Mote said the wananga was looking at trimming staff as enrolments fall and the institute prepared for a loss of income.

- nzpa