Government funding for Waikato polytechnic has increased and should not be blamed for the polytechnic’s proposed fee
hike, Tertiary Education Minister Max Bradford said today.
Mr Bradford said comments by the polytechnic’s Chief Executive David Rawlence that cuts in government funding were
behind the fee increases for next year had no foundation.
“Government funding for Equivalent Full Time Students (EFTS) for Waikato polytechnic has increased over the last three
years.
“In 1999 estimated funding through the EFTS system increased 3.5% from 1998.
“The Government is also allocating an additional $5 million to the polytechnic to ensure the per EFTS subsidy will
remain the same for 2000 as it is in 1999, rather than go down.
“Students have a right to be angry but not at the Government. Students should be asking the hard questions of the
polytechnic,” Mr Bradford said.
ends