Govt Needs to Open Doors for Students

Govt Needs to Open Doors for Students

Government needs to act quickly to make sure that thousands of young New Zealanders do not have the opportunity to learn ripped away from them, says TEU president Dr Tom Ryan.

"The move by universities across New Zealand to dramatically restrict entry to many of their courses is the result of government failure to anticipate the combined pressure of demographic growth in student numbers and an increase in people looking to study during the recession.”

"The government's policy of capping the number of students it is willing to fund needs to be reviewed. It is hurting the productivity of our economy. That policy made some sense when tertiary institutions were competing among themselves for students and were more focused on growth than quality. But in an environment when there is real growth in student numbers across the sector, the policy now is denying a rapidly growing number of young people the opportunity to get the skills and knowledge they are entitled to.

"Most of those who face missing out on the chance to study are ordinary struggling New Zealanders. These are the very people who most need that opportunity to study, to contribute to the betterment of their families, the wider community, and our struggling economy," said Dr Ryan.

ENDS

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