May 07, 2015
Kokiri crisis a disgrace
Greens co-leader Metiria is describing the imminent closure of a Dunedin Maori skills training organisation as a disgrace.
Arai Te Uru Kokiri Training Centre says changes to Tertiary Education Commission policies means it is going to have to cut staff and courses.
Ms Turei says for almost 30 years the kokiri has worked with young people who need a lot of extra assistance to get on the employment ladder.
That means they need more than the short term certificate courses the TEC is willing to fund.
" It’s the last kokiri in the South Island and it's been a total disgrace that they've been driven out of business like this, by a government whose education policy is all about moving people as quickly through the systems to meet their own targets. Nothing to do with the development of young people to move them from a very difficult place to having a genuine skillset that they can take out into the world"says Metiria Turei
There is public meeting in Dunedin tomorrow on the future of Arai Te Uru.
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