25 Jul 2013

Kohanga's problematic programme yet to be accredited

10:02 am on 25 July 2013

The Kohanga Reo National Trust is yet to apply for accreditation for a qualification which wrongly received government funding.

The trust has had to pay back $780,000 to the Tertiary Education Commission for funding it received for the qualification, which has not been approved.

The trust runs programmes which are mainly for parents and whanau members of children attending Maori pre-schools.

An internal audit found one of those programmes was for a qualification which was not approved or accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, and therefore should not have received funding.

The authority says its objective is to ensure any study by students is recognised appropriately, and that it is working with the trust to ensure a pathway for students.

Its spokesperson says the trust has approval to develop a course called Te Takaimatua but it still needs to apply for accreditation to deliver the qualification.

Titoki Black is no longer the trust's chief executive, following the audit's findings.