An Open Letter To The Secretary Of Education

An Open Letter To The Secretary Of Education,

Tena koe,

Earlier this month, I was advised by the Minister of Tertiary Education, Steven Joyce, that you will be investigating my complaint that Awanuiarangi is describing itself as an indigenous university, thus breaching the Education Act (I cited the earlier case of Unitec calling itself "the university of the future" as an example of a tertiary institution that was told to remove the term "university" because it was not one of the country's eight universities).

I have since learnt that the universities have also drawn Awanuiarangi's description of itself as a university to the Ministry of Education's attention at the beginning of this year.

My concern is that Maori students are enrolling at Awanuiarangi believing its claim to being a university and so are enrolling under false pretences. As I am involved in providing scholarships to Maori tertiary students, this is an issue of serious concern.

I would be grateful if you could advise me what course of action the Ministry of Education intends to take over Awanuiarangi's illegal description of itself as a university, and what timeframe this will occur in.

Naku noa,

David Rankin
Chairman, Hone Heke Foundation.

ENDS

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