10. Hon MARYAN STREET (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Tertiary Education
What responses has he received to his proposal to link a proportion of university funding to students’ pass rates?
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Tertiary Education) Link to this
Firstly, the policy is not just about universities but about all tertiary institutions. Secondly, there has been a generally positive reaction from the public, students, and tertiary providers to the Government’s proposal to improve the value for money of its investment in tertiary education by focusing institutions on students’ results and not just on enrolments. We will continue to work with the sector as we continue to finalise this policy. Naturally, it is important that the approach be balanced. In the final design we want to avoid any perverse incentives that could arise.
Hon Maryan Street Link to this
Does the Minister acknowledge that such a policy risks pressuring institutions to lower their standards in order to guarantee funding, or encouraging institutions to avoid enrolling Māori, Pasifika, or second-chance students, thus narrowing the base of tertiary enrolments and depriving New Zealanders of access to tertiary education?
No. Firstly, nobody said that we would be expecting 100 percent pass rates for all levels of education. There are a couple of reasons why that would not be the case, including the fact that institutions would be expected to operate in the norms that their sector and sub-sector operates in and the levels of education they are providing.
Allan PeacheyWe need to know that the money that we are spending on tertiary education is being well used and is giving young people the skills that employers demand and that will lead to productive and meaningful employment. Students also invest their time and money in tertiary education and want to know that they will be supported to complete their qualification. Educational performance will be measured using indicators like qualification completion, course completion, and student progression to further study.
Hon Maryan Street Link to this
Is he aware that a student who enrols in one discipline for a year and fails all or most papers, re-enrols in another discipline for a brief time, and then changes to a third discipline, which he or she finally pursues to completion is registered in a university as having done at least two if not three incomplete courses; if so, how will such a student’s eventual successful experience be allowed or permitted under his newly announced policy?
I actually have personal experience of that situation, which is good, because the personal experience that I think the member is alluding to is a little bit different from what she suggests. In my case, for example, I passed all my papers in my first 3 years at university, rather than what she is suggesting both in the House and on her blog site. Certainly, my latter years—year 4, year 5, and my attempt at year 6—were less exciting and, frankly, I should have been shuffled out of university by then, anyway.
Hon Maryan Street Link to this
Does the Minister recognise that students such as the one described—whose experience is, as he says, very like his own—can go on to be fully contributing members of society? How will such students be given opportunities if under this new policy they are to be discouraged from re-enrolling, which will clearly be one of the outcomes?
As I said, I think it is quite reasonable—and, certainly, I would endorse it from my experience—for taxpayers to expect some form of academic progress during somebody’s time at university if that person is to borrow with student loans. I am quite comfortable measuring my academic record in that respect.
Well, yes, I think that they would, but I say to Ms Street I do not think we should personalise it about just me. I am happy to table my academic record if that would help the member with her assertions, as she is simply incorrect. I seek leave to table my academic record in order to help Ms Street. I point out that my C+ in vertebrate zoology in the second year was disappointing, as was the invertebrate zoology mark of only C. [ Interruption]
Mr SPEAKER