Waiariki all-clear for degree course

Waiariki Institute of Technology in Rotorua has been told it can continue running its social work degree, subject to conditions.

ITP Quality, an external body which assesses the quality of courses, yesterday confirmed accreditation for the institute's bachelor of applied social sciences.

This follows months of investigation and stress for the 90 students studying the programme.

At the end of last year Waiariki was issued with a compliance notice and given a month to meet quality requirements, otherwise the course would be scrapped.

ITP Quality director Peter Scanlan said its board met yesterday and signed off the programme for at least this year.

However, the degree will be closely monitored by ITP Quality and the institute is not allowed to enrol any new students until told otherwise.

Waiariki must also appoint staff with appropriate qualifications and experience.

Yesterday the board received a further report from a panel which had visited the institute in October and had since looked at how Waiariki had met the quality requirements.

The report indicated Waiariki had addressed most of these but there were four areas still needing work.

Waiariki chief executive Reynold Macpherson said he was delighted the degree was allowed to continue.

He said Waiariki would address the outstanding issues.

- NZPA