One of the objectives of the Education Act 1989 is to encourage a tertiary education system that promotes equal access for all learners. Making education easier to access and improving the achievement of all learners is a core part of the tertiary sector’s contribution to the educational priorities outlined in the Tertiary Education Strategy. TEOs contribute to this by accommodating the diverse needs and aspirations of students of all ethnicities, genders, ages, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds.

Equity funding for Māori and Pasifika students is designed to improve these learners’ participation in, and achievement at, higher levels of the tertiary education system  (level 5 and above on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework).

Equity funding for students with disabilities is designed to improve these learners’ participation in tertiary education, and achievement of qualifications.

Equity funding is a ‘top-up’ to Student Achievement Component (SAC) funding – to help cover the costs of providing extra support for these students. It is not intended to be the sole or primary source of funding used to support Māori or Pasifika students, or students with disabilities.

Resources

We expect all providers to offer the support required for learner success. Information can be found in:

• Ka Hikitia - Accelerating Success 2013-2017 – the Ministry of Education’s Māori education strategy
• Doing Better for Māori in Tertiary Settings – a literature review of good practice and success indicators
• Kia Orite - Achieving Equity – the New Zealand Code of Practice for an inclusive tertiary education environment for students with impairments
• Boosting achievement of Māori – the work we are doing to support Priority 3 of the Tertiary Education Strategy (TES)
• Tū Māia e te Akonga – our action plan to raise Māori learner achievement and success in tertiary education
• Research about Māori learners
• Boosting achievement of Pasifika – the work we are doing to achieve Priority 3 of the Tertiary Education Strategy (TES)
• Pasifika Operational Strategy 2017–2020 (PDF, 310 Kb) – our strategy to raise Pasifika achievement and success in tertiary education
• Project Kāmehameha – research commissioned by Careers New Zealand about the design and delivery of career resources for Māori
• Project Lumana'i – research commissioned by Careers New Zealand about the design and delivery of career resources for Pasifika
• Youth Services – supports young people to engage in education, training and work-based learning
• StudyLink – financial support and advice for students. 

You’ll also find practical information for improving student success at Ako Aotearoa's Resource Centre.