Maori tertiary opportunities jeopardised
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Access to tertiary education for Maori will be threatened if the government does away with free student loans, says Labour's Spokesperson for Maori Education Kelvin Davis.
“Financial difficulties are already identified as a barrier to Maori participation in tertiary education that is just going to be exasperated if it becomes increasingly difficult to access student loans
“The government needs to support Maori into tertiary education not pull the rug out from under us,” Kelvin Davis says.
“Associate Minister of Education Pita Sharples has just launched a new guide to assist tertiary institutions to help Maori succeed in tertiary education, and at the same time Steven Joyce the Minister for Tertiary Education is jeopardising Maori success in tertiary education by tampering with student loans.
“It just serves to prove that Pita Sharples is running interference for National and indicates there is no long term strategy for helping Maori to be successful throughout education.
“Pita Sharples' new guide to help Maori succeed in tertiary education is pointless we can't afford to send our people there in the first place,” Kelvin Davis said.
