Constant cuts to polytechnic funding across the country are compromising the tertiary education sector according to Labour's Deputy Leader Grant Robertson.
The 42-year-old, who visited Tauranga yesterday as part of a whirlwind visit to talk about the party's nationwide 'Save Our Polytechnics Tour”, believes polytechnics need to be a higher priority for the Government.
Labour's Deputy Leader Grant Robertson visited Bay of Plenty Polytechnic as part of the party's nationwide 'Save Our Polytechnics Tour”.
'Polytechnics are the heart of many of our provincial cities and towns. They provide skilled staff for the regions and make a significant contribution to the economy.”
Grant, the Wellington Central MP and Labour spokesperson for Employment, Skills and Training and Arts, Culture and Heritage, met with Bay of Plenty Polytechnic management, staff and students to discuss the party's plans for polytechnics.
'It was good. The importance is on polytechs as they are the places that are meant to produce the skills for the workforce.”
He insists polytechnics hold 'lucrative and rewarding opportunities” and need to regain an equal status alongside university education after he says government funding was slashed by $51.6 million in 2011.
A further $30 million was cut last year resulting in courses being cut, job losses and fewer places in polytechnics in 2013, he says.
'I think that's been one of the problems in New Zealand. Too much emphasis has been put on university education.
'We also don't think of offering young people enough about what is being offered by a polytechnic.”
In the middle of a nine region tour, many are worried about being left out of nationwide decisions with the Government focussing its attention on the three big cities of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, says Grant.
'People feel a little forgotten by the Government in outside areas. Not just for the polytechs, but this includes transport and roads and job creations. Everybody knows there's no bottomless pit of money out there.”
Grant is adamant the minimum wage continues to sit below an acceptable standard following 'a measly” rise of 25 cents from $13.50 to $13.75 by Tauranga MP Simon Bridges earlier this week.
Labour's policy is to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour but also supports the recent living wage, which says $18.40 an hour is what people need to earn.
'Anybody who meets someone trying to live on that sees it's just not possible. A lot of employers can do it [pay $15], if not they are just exploiting people.”
8 comments
Out of control
Posted on 01-03-2013 09:54 | By philthrottle
The whole tertiary sector is way out of control. Too many wannabe "universities" looking for bums in seats all funded by the future debt of young people trying to find their own future in the maze of options invented to attract them. If Polytechs stuck to the knitting with true vocational courses backed up by genuine job demand then it would have been OK but that is not what is going on. Too many private "academies" too - just how many dive instructors do we really need ?
OK, but
Posted on 01-03-2013 11:28 | By bigted
Ex - secondary school students are heading to polytech mainly because of no other options, in this economic climate. Polytechnics have become a poor man's university, where qualifications have become meaningless to a potential employer. Why not give monetary incentive instead to an employer where the student can "get hands on" training and also be productive? They certainly are not productive sitting in a classroom doing theory! The apprentice system worked reasonably well in the past
Alternatives to academia
Posted on 01-03-2013 12:49 | By Aster
I would hope that some of your commentators become aware of the other private training providers in the area who do provide 'hands-on' practical training plus the theory to support. Their students are prepared for the workforce and employers are also in touch with these private providers,who meet real needs and train for real jobs. Pity too that Grant Robertson,M.P.doesn't see fit to visit these quality private providers as he swans around the country at the taxpayers' expense!
Educator
Posted on 01-03-2013 13:27 | By jeancraven@kinect.co.nz
Polytechnics provide excellent skills and preparation for the workforce. Funding has been severely cut over the years following the introduction of private providers who are funded by the government in competition to government owned polytechnics. Pity that job creation has been negligible and there are no jobs for students when they finish their qualifications
Rastus
Posted on 01-03-2013 14:20 | By rastus
'Bigted' is right on the button - the whole education system is a giant rort - one great money machine which puts 'bums on seats' way ahead of any consideration of what is good for our young people or in fact our country - Makes my blood boil when I see the hundreds of thousands of dollars being frittered away on large glitzy bill board promotions in the hope of attracting more bums to a particular institutions seats. The polis are too weak to face up to the realities of just what has and continues to develop in the tertiary education field. These elitist teachers/tutors overpaid 'so called' educationalists need to come back down to earth and start doing what they are supposed to do - truly educate our young in a meaningful subject that can benefit our country - not empire building. Grant robertson is of course just grandstanding otherwise he would start pointing fingers at the real rot in our education system.
The comments are worth reading
Posted on 01-03-2013 14:55 | By Phailed
Some thoughtful statements by bigted and philthrottle. Some of the courses you can enrol in these days are mindnumbingly useless. Just stick to the much needed vocations and you'll be right. Quite agree about too many private "academies." I don't think too many serious students would go there and I wonder how much the private outfits are making off the government?
I wonder if he attended
Posted on 01-03-2013 16:00 | By Sambo
"O week", as in a previous story, students getting primed for the year, I am sorry a diploma in leisure studies, does not cut the mustard, and students are to a large degree being taught to be so mundane, that flair and talent is being driven out of them by (some) tutors, who largely have failed in their own private enterprise, and are drawn to the $60 per hour teaching jobs, I totally agree with the comments on our education system, it is failing our young, and as an aside people seem to have lost sight of the FACT that it was a Labour Government that signed off on the "NovaPay" joke, as soon as our apprenticeship scheme is re introduced, which it will be, I hope we have people being taught a hands on, and life skill approach, and yes employment incentives where students can gain say 10 hours per week on site learning, are much better than an inane tutorial, also another thought, the leaky homes fiasco, how much reduced would this have been if we had carpenters during this period who had "served their time", as during the building boom in Auckland alone, there was only 31% of builders who were qualified!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get your facts straight
Posted on 02-03-2013 10:21 | By Groj
I really wish it was $60 per hour. Nowhere near that. And be aware you have one of the best Polytechnics in the country offering a full range of levels through to University degree giving students the option of staying in Tauranga instead of heading out of town. A large number a returning mature students as well looking to up skill. As for "Bums on Seats" the budgets and constraints are really quite tight. Monitoring in terms of assessment and marking consistency is undertaken by independent assessors on courses and exam work on a rolling 2 to 3 year cycle dependant on the governing body. Tutors spend 20 hours plus per week in front of students as well as marking, developing course work and engaging with industry to ensure currency of programmes. Compare this with University Lecturers who complain at 6 hours "exposure" a week, and on average have far higher earnings. Interesting to see the same negative names pop up on every topic in these forums. The people I have seen in Tauranga's tertiary sector are dedicated and enthusiastic educators who show a great deal of care for their students. These same people go above and beyond even spending weekends and time off working to assist students that are finding it difficult. Some of the projects run directly benefit the community in terms of returns to charitable organisations as well as making students available to local business as a resource for assignment work. Yes I am involved in the industry, and yes, I am passionate about what I do. The success of my students is the reason I do this, not the money. As I have often said, "I am not here to pass or fail you, I am here to help you succeed"
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