Rotorua's Maori-based tertiary institute, Te Wananga o Aotearoa, is having to turn students away.
But according to its manager Turi Ngatai, the reasons are good.
Two years ago the wananga's roll stood at 105. Today it had more than 1400 students.
The main cause of the current "problem" was the institution's free Maori
language course.
More than 400 people had already enrolled for the course, and applications were still being received, Mr Ngatai said.
The wananga was footing the bill for that course itself because it believed Maori had a birth right to learn their own language.
However it had been inundated by calls from people of all cultures wanting to learn the language.
The wananga's police and security, and computer courses were facing similar problems, with too many students wanting to enrol.
Although he hated doing it, for the wananga's sake he had to say "no" to high enrolments, Mr Ngatai said.
"We don't want to compromise the quality of the programmes we deliver. We are going to need some breathing space so we can develop these courses so they can take more numbers next year."
He was pleased with the wananga's growth.
"It shows that the community is now seeing the wananga as a viable tertiary option. The wananga is meeting the needs of students, who are mostly Maori, and is increasing Maori participation in tertiary education."
There had obviously been a change in attitude in many young Maori because there was a desire to become more educated.
"The problems we are now facing are good ones. I don't like doing it but we have to say 'no more'," he said.
- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)
