Ako Aotearoa's submission on the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill

On the 31st March 2010 Ako Aotearoa made a submission to The Education and Science Select Committee on the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill.

Summary of our submission

We oppose this bill because there is clear evidence from both New Zealand and overseas that strong student associations play a critical role in supporting students to succeed in their tertiary study. This bill will, if enacted, place the very viability of many student associations in jeopardy and divert others away from the essential service functions they provide.

This bill seems to be driven by a perceived need to comply with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act rather than intended benefit for tertiary learners. We believe that the current legislation as it stands more than adequately covers off our obligations under human rights legislation.

Experience has shown that if student associations are no longer able to provide services that support the engagement of their members in their learning, then these services (particularly different aspects of pastoral care) must be taken up by the tertiary education organisations themselves. This, in turn, diverts scarce resources from the core teaching functions of those TEOs and limits students’ ability to determine for themselves the most appropriate and effective form those services should take.

Quite rightly, in our view, this Government’s focus is on student success in their tertiary studies and value for money for tertiary provision. This proposed bill runs counter to that strategy. We see no merit in this proposed legislative change.