They told the Education and Workforce Select Committee inquiry into student accommodation today that staff at some halls were poorly prepared to help students with sometimes harrowing situations. The committee is considering pastoral care and residents' rights in student accommodation following complaints about how some halls of residence handled last year's national pandemic lockdown. Canterbury University student Miriam Lindsay said there was not enough support when students in her hall of residence in Christchurch needed it last year. Ingoe told the committee that student accommodation was dangerously unregulated and put profit before students' wellbeing. Wintec Student Resident Trust general manager Martin Thomas said student accommodation providers should disclose who owned them, their financial reports, and their level of compliance with the code of pastoral care.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 17, 2021 19:52 UTC