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Students join call for public debate on tertiary education
Media Release – Monday 11 November
Students join call for public debate on tertiary education
Student leaders from the NZ Union of Students’ Associations have applauded the Tertiary Education Union on the release of its blueprint for tertiary education – Te Kaupapa Whaioranga - today.
NZUSA President Pete Hodkinson said the Tertiary Education Union’s message that the erosion of the public tertiary education system has to stop is strongly supported by student representatives from around New Zealand who have been meeting in Wellington since Friday.
“We are happy to join with the TEU in calling for a robust, critically engaged and timely public debate on the future of tertiary education,” said Hodkinson.
“To echo the words of TEU President Lesley Francey students have a right to be angry about the way whole generations have been grossly indebted and disconnected by the wrong directions taken to treat tertiary education as if it is solely a private benefit.
“We have a right to express anger on behalf of the one in six final year students whose financial distress is so severe they can’t afford adequate basic living needs like housing and food.
“We have a right to be angry about cynical governments that have undemocratically acted to depoliticise and disempower the student voice.
“And we have a right to be angry about a series of unbalanced policy decisions that exclude potential students from having a realistic opportunity for life-changing tertiary education - including women students, older students and students with disabilities.
“The blueprint for tertiary education released by the Tertiary Education Union today gives students a joint platform for directing our anger towards action.
“We especially value the fact that academic staff are prepared to stand side by side with us, to help tell the stories of students who are casualties of the current system. Students, for instance, who are struggling in poor living conditions and those who have had to abandon their studies because of the cost”.
“We have also been heartened by cross-party support received at the weekend from the Labour, Green, NZ First and Maori parties for changes to the ways that students and the student voice are supported. We believe the negative and worsening situation faced by students is going to be a major election issue in 2014”.
ENDS
NZUSA - New Zealand Union of Students' Associations
We stand for opportunity, for all.
NZUSA is the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations, the national body that represents New Zealand's students' associations and the interests of New Zealand's 400,000 students at universities, polytechnics and in trades training.
We conduct original research, advocate to Government and through the media, and support New Zealand's students' associations to be more effective on behalf of their members. We advocate alongside Te Mana Akonga – The National Māori Students' Association, and Tertiary Women New Zealand – The NZUSA Women's Caucus.
Since 1929, we've believed in a society rich in opportunity, where anyone from anywhere can become any thing. We support accessible, affordable quality public tertiary education.
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