More red tape for tertiary education
The Government's poised to welcome another layer of bureaucracy to our education system, according to National Party
Tertiary Education spokesman Simon Power.
"I believe the Tertiary Education Commission, being officially launched tonight, will provide a mechanism for the
Minister to interfere in the operation of our Universities and Polytechnics.
"We're worried by the centralisation of control of tertiary education in the hands of the Minister.
"He now has complete command over funding mechanisms and potentially the kinds of courses he wants to see taught," Mr
Power says. "The flow on effects from this are extremely worrying.
"I believe academic freedom and institutional autonomy are at risk," says Mr Power.
"Such a risk undermines the international credibility of New Zealand's tertiary education system. "It is vital that New
Zealand fosters and encourages a strong, independent and flexible tertiary education sector in order to further the
growth of our knowledge economy," says Mr Power.