Maori students – Face to face with DWI
te-mana-akonga
Tue Jul 18 2000 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Maori students – Face to face with DWI
Tuesday, 18 July 2000, 3:54 pm
Press Release: Te Mana Akonga
The release of the independent review of the processing of student loans by the Department of Work and Income has indicated to student associations that much needed change to the systems of processing of loans is indeed on its way.
“The fiasco created by the then Work And Income New Zealand (WINZ) caused a lot of unnecessary stress, both emotionally and financially for Maori students. We are pleased to see that our comments have been taken on board and that there will be definite changes to the way that DWI administers the processing of student loans in the future”, announces Danica Waiti, Kaituuhono for Te Mana Akonga, the National Maori University Students’ Association.
Key recommendations made in the report included:
A centralised call-centre supported by increased one-on-one access to DWI staff on campus,
Increased staff training to ensure that DWI staff understand enrolment procedures and basic fundamentals of tertiary study, and
More co-operation and consultation with institutions and students to ensure that the loans processing system is effective and efficient.
Some of the problems identified by Maori students in a survey undertaken by Te Mana Akonga (Inc.) back in April included the continuous engagement of the WINZ helpline telephone number, numerous telephone calls placed on hold, and delays in receiving paperwork. It was clearly identified that having a reliable and efficient WINZ staff member on campus with on-line access to WINZ could have assisted students with small enquiries such as the status of their loans application form.
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
“Maori students are one of the largest groups to undertake the student loans scheme. It is apparent that kanohi ki te kanohi or the face-to-face approach works best with our people, and that includes Maori students. For government departments such as DWI and others with a high number of Maori clientele, this needs to be taken into account”, concludes Miss Waiti.
Contact: Danica Waiti
Ph 04 4982506 or 021 440 279
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}
Using Scoop for work?
Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.
Join Pro Individual Find out more
Find more from Te Mana Akonga on InfoPages.