The Māori Party supports NZUSA scholarship initiative

The Māori Party supports the First in Family Scholarship initiative launched by the New Zealand Students Association (NZUSA).

The Scholarship programme offers a full fees and living costs scholarship to those who will be the first in their family to enrol on a degree level course. NZUSA have developed and fully costed the proposal.

Mrs.Turia says, “We’ve seen the profound impact individuals can make on their whānau when they are the first to graduate with a tertiary qualification. This will be a transformational step change for many whānau.

“Tertiary graduates become ground-breakers, future leaders and have the potential to earn higher incomes because of their degree level qualifications.”

Co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell says the Māori Party is pleased to see the First in Family Scholarship proposal includes pastoral, cultural and academic support to give recipients the best start to their tertiary experience.

“The tertiary environment can be daunting for Māori and Pasifika students so we’re keen to ensure that if students, who have no family experience of degree level studies, get the opportunity and are well looked after,” says Mr. Flavell.

The Māori Party would like to see some changes to the proposal including raising the age of eligibility to over 25 years, which reflects the age group that most Māori begin tertiary studies, and it would like to see a specific number of scholarships available for Māori and Pasifika students.

The Māori Party congratulates NZUSA on proposing a scholarship programme that aims to break the current inequities in tertiary educational achievement within whānau and communities.

ENDS.

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