'What's good for wananga should be good for universities'
15 February 2005
"New Zealanders are asking what sort of double standard is operating in the Government, when the Education Minister
states that wananga are not able to define themselves as universities and yet fails to apply the same ruling to
universities that define themselves as wananga" said Tariana Turia, co-leader of the Maori Party.
"I was disappointed to hear the Minister of Education in the House today, state that Te Wananga o Aotearoa could not
call itself an university".
"I would expect that same standard would apply to universities who call themselves whare wananga' (such as Te Whare
Wänanga o Waikato or Te Whare Wänanga o Otägo)" said Mrs Turia.
"It is fascinating that the moment there is greater Maori participation, indeed unprecedented Maori participation in
tertiary education there are suddenly serious questions being asked about the quality of programmes and courses offered
in wananga; numbers are being reduced, and an institution like Te Wananga o Aotearoa is being subjected to endless
rounds of reviews".
"The fact that for years prior to the establishment of wananga, tertiary institutions were failing Maori students seems
to have been of no concern said Mrs Turia.
"It would appear that these comments today by the Education Minister and the Prime Minister demonstrate another clash
between rangatiratanga and kawanatanga".
"There is an obvious inconsistency in that those institutions who are identified with kawanatanga are able to do as they
wish, whilst those institutions who are aligned with rangatiratanga are constrained".
ENDS