The student union and tertiary education union say a decision needs to be made on whether the merger between the two Bay of Plenty polytechnics should go ahead.

New Zealand Union of Students president Rory McCourt and Tertiary Education Union president Sandra Grey claim the people of the Bay of Plenty deserve to know when Steven Joyce will decide if Waiariki Institute of Technology and Bay of Plenty Polytechnic should merge.

Waiariki Institute of Technology. Photo: Greg Taipari.

'The minister need not rush his decision, but he does need to urgently let people know what his timeframe is,” Rory says.

'There are mere days left in the year and what happens to Waiariki and Bay of Plenty Polytechnic next year affect people's lives, their jobs and their studies,” Sandra says.

Neither union have supported a merger of the two polytechnics and both believe the argument for a merger is weak.

However, the two organisations say whatever the final decision, the current uncertainty is stressful for both students and staff.

Rory says it is clear, with the short amount of time left in 2015, a viable merger can no longer take place at the start of 2016.

'The minister may need more time and information to make the right decision,” says Rory.

'If that is the case, he needs to let people know when he will make his decision and, if he consents to the merger, what the timeframe will be.”