Wananga fails second audit

New Zealand's largest tertiary institute, Te Wananga o Aotearoa, has failed a second performance audit by the country's qualification watchdog.

A quality audit report of the institute by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority was recently released to National education spokesman Bill English through the Official Information Act.

It revealed that the institution, which has one of its larger campuses in Rotorua, failed to meet 16 requirements.

Among the criticisms were the institution's failure to: appraise staff performance, apply a coherent set of policies and procedures, make resources available to students before delivering training, meet appropriate levels of quality, health, safety and comfort for learners and staff, make sure learners fully understand what is required from them and use proper review and evaluation processes.

The institute has also failed to demonstrate that it has delivered courses in ways that meet the needs of the learner.

Chief executive Rongo Wetere said in most cases the issues raised in the audit, carried out last year, had been dealt with or were being dealt with.

Mr English said in one case the institute failed to provide enough seats and tables for students in a class.

Dr Wetere said that was a rare situation.

Mr English said the wananga had failed another NZQA audit in 2001 on "32 counts" and accused the Government of not taking the quality of education at the institution seriously.

"It should be restraining the growth or stopping it growing until it meets all quality standards. It has been allowed to drift along for a couple of years without proper monitoring. Students are paying and not getting what they should."

Mr English said Tertiary Education Minister Steve Maharey should be forced to personally answer to all of those students if, at the next audit later in the year, the wananga failed to show a significant improvement.

Dr Wetere said it was about time Mr English "got off our backs".

"If he has got genuine concerns he should come up and discuss them with us."

He said the institution had a clean audit last year from the Auditor-General's office and the wananga was doing well in terms of outcomes and retention rates.

The Te Awamutu-based institute, which has 10 campuses, posted a $33 million profit last year.

Acting Associate Education Minister Margaret Wilson said the $33 million surplus was higher than the Government would normally expect to see from a tertiary institute.

She has asked for a report on future capital plans to ensure the surplus was used to further educational goals.

She was not worried about the wananga's latest audit failure. It had in all cases responded well to audit reports and had put in place action plans to remedy the deficiencies.

- NZPA