June 19, 2014
Wananga first chance education for many
The head of Te Wananga o Aotearoa says the three Maori tertiary institutions have given many Maori and Pacific people their first chance at education.
A new report by economic consultancy BERL has found the wananga contribute more than $300 million a year to the New Zealand economy.
It also found more than half of the 40,000 students in 2012 were over 40, and a third had no secondary school qualification.
Jim Mather says that illustrates the important place that wananga have carved out.
"For many Maori and Pacific students in particular, it’s probably a first chance opportunity for tertiary education given that they in many cases have not fully completed educational opportunities through the mainstream tertiary or secondary school sectors," he says.
Mr Mather says the BERL report is a way the wananga sector can raise awareness of what it is doing.
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