A flourishing tertiary education sector is well-resourced, innovative, responsive, and accessible to students. Its institutions reflect the diversity of Aotearoa and champion mātauranga Māori.
Aotearoa’s tertiary education institutions have been compromised by decades of corporate behaviour that has prioritised profit over education as a public good. Successive governments have systematically devalued education and its critical contribution to the vibrancy and progress of our communities. Those who teach and research at Aotearoa’s tertiary institutions are often not recognised for the work they do.
We all deserve the right to train, upskill, and become students. The Green Party has fought hard this term for greater student support and free mental health services. We’ve triggered a Select Committee Inquiry into unfair and inconsistent practices by student accommodation providers. We have championed universalising the student allowance and reinstating postgraduate student allowances.
The Green Party’s vision is a strong tertiary education system that contributes to the social, cultural and environmental wellbeing of Aotearoa.
The Green Party will:
- Support all students not in paid employment with a Guaranteed Minimum Income of at least $325 a week. Those in part-time employment will also receive support.
- Reform the student accommodation sector to ensure students get a fair deal.
- Reform student loans to make repayments more progressive and with a higher threshold before you have to pay (the less you earn after you graduate, the less you have to pay).
- Investigate writing-off some student debt for graduates who live and work in Aotearoa after completing study.
- Provide targeted funding for tertiary institutions to create an inclusive environment for students with disabilities, by supporting disability and learning support services, and improving staff to student ratios, library resources, and staff retention.
- Ensure tertiary education providers prioritise space for study and community-building within their physical faculties.
- Continue free apprenticeships.
- Create a Clean Energy Training Plan to encourage people to train for jobs upgrading Aotearoa’s economy with solar and other clean energy.
Read more about our green vision for Aotearoa