Tertiary education must be a public good for all Kiwis

Council of Trade Unions

Tertiary education must be a public good for all Kiwis

Today’s report from the Productivity Commission - New models of tertiary education clearly outlines that the changes the National-led government have made to tertiary education have done more harm than good.

CTU Secretary Sam Huggard is concerned. “Beneath the rhetoric of student choice the report on is an agenda for more profit driven providers in the tertiary education sector. An ‘Uber’ approach to education. Though disguised in the language of student choice, its mechanisms mean less transparency and public accountability of tax payer dollars.”

“This is an outdated approach and a return to the thinking of the 1990s. It didn’t work then and it won’t work now. We still see the results of that approach with recent failures of private tertiary institutions whose sole interest is about making a profit from vulnerable students and employees.”

“The recommendations in this Report are so far-reaching, and that there are concerns from many quarters, there needs to be a very careful watch on what happens to this findings in this report. If not we’ll see the implementation of these recommendations without support or agreement and with the potential for significant harm.”

“Education is a public good for all Kiwis, ensuring we have good jobs and living standards, a capable economy and a strong and informed civil society,” Huggard said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media