October 03, 2013
Student voice needed on wananga councils
The Maori Party want assurances that Maori students will have a voice on the councils of universities and wananga.
Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce has unveiled plans to overhaul the governance of tertiary institutions, including getting rid of the requirement for various sectoral interests including students to have seats on council.
It will be up to institutions themselves to decide how their councils will be made up, and the councils will have eight to 12 members, rather than up to 20 as they have now.
Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell says student representation has been eroded in recent years by making membership of student unions voluntary and through institutional policy.
He says it’s important that students and especially Maori students have a voice when decisions are made about how the institutions are run.
Tamaki Makaurau MP Pita Sharples says the Education Act includes a reference to the Treaty of Waitangi, but this is yet to be fully realised in the sector.
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