735 (2025). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Vocational Education

735 (2025). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Vocational Education: What actions, if any, has the Minister's departments or agencies, if any, made in implementing the Cabinet Office Circular titled Needs-Based Service Provision?

Hon Penny Simmonds: Regarding the Ministry of Education, I refer the Member to the Minster of Education’s response to written parliamentary question 329 (2025). I am advised that Education New Zealand (ENZ) has not implemented any actions to implement the Cabinet Office Circular titled Needs-Based Service Provision. The Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and Latin America, administered by ENZ, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply for the scholarship, and people who would otherwise be unable to travel overseas for study or for an internship. Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has proactively conducted an in-house stocktake of their current activities in response to the Needs-based Cabinet Circular. The stocktake was designed to identify the activities that TEC performs that may have been targeted in any way related to ethnicity or other aspect of identity, to assess the risk of each activity in its current state and identify any mitigations that may need to be put in place. TEC analysed a wide range of activities in their stocktake, including strategies, funds, projects, processes, resources and other products, working or steering groups, and web content. The assessment included determining the evidence base for each activity, any gaps, and a preliminary assessment of the risk of the activity based on the Cabinet Circular. Most TEC activities were assessed as low risk, because their evidence is based on need. The activities assessed as high-risk have data and evidence to support them or are embedded in processes established in legislation. The stocktake will help guide future work undertaken in conjunction with MoE to respond to the Circular. TEC is continuing to analyse their activities to ensure ongoing alignment to the Circular.