October 06, 2014
Awanuiarangi setback puts chill on sector
A Maori educator says the phony tourism hours scandal at Te Wananga o Awanuiarangi could lead to less innovation and community outreach in the sector.
The Whakatane-based tertiary institution has paid back almost $7 million in subsidies to the Tertiary Education Commission after it was discovered that subcontractors deliving its tourism certificate in Rotorua and Auckland had graduated students without the proper coursework being done … including almost 100 players and staff from the Warriots rugby league franchise who were given certificates after one day of what was supposed to be an 18-week course.
Susan Cullen, who designed programmes for Te Wananga o Aotearoa that became subject to a political witch hunt a decade ago, says Awanuiarangi behaved responsibly in paying back the subsidies once it discovered what had happened, and referring the matter to the Serious Fraud Office.
But she says it's likely to lead to a move away from subcontracting and a low-trust bureacratic approach to community organisations.
"I can appreciate that leaders of institutions are wanting to minimise risk but on the other hand innovative ideas and practices and new ways of learning have come through partnerships between business, communities and the institutions themselves," she says.
Ms Cullen says Awanuiarangi sets high standards for its academic programmes and should be able to weather any fall-out from the scandal.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN CULLEN CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MjI4MTc=
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