Polytechs could be closed

Education Minister Chris Hipkins has questioned whether New Zealand needs 16 polytechs, raising the possibility some of them could be forced to close.

Earlier yesterday, he said that all options were on the table as he headed to a crisis meeting with representatives from the sector.

‘‘I’m not going to say anything about closures but the system might look different to the way that it does now,’’ Hipkins said.

‘‘We’ve got to look at whether a small country like New Zealand can sustain 16 different organisations.’’

National’s tertiary education spokesman Paul Goldsmith said it was a legitimate question, although he cautioned: ‘‘I think you’d have to think very carefully before you went too far.’’

Goldsmith said he was more concerned by the Government’s decision to funnel money to students rather than institutions.

He added there was also uncertainty around the revenue stream from international students, in the face of a proposed crackdown that would reduce their numbers.

Industry leaders have sounded alarm bells over the future of the country’s polytechnic institutes, which face falling enrolments and rising costs.

More than 5000 students were lost last year and the Tertiary Education Union (TEU) said it was contributing to a ‘‘funding crisis’’.

Hipkins said there was broad acceptance of the need for an overhaul.

‘‘It’s a sector that’s clearly feeling the pressure, with good reason,’’ he said.

‘‘We’ve seen a drop in enrolments, and a funding freeze for the best part of a decade,’’ he added.

Hipkins also appeared to suggest the polytechs could trim some unnecessary fat, remarking ‘‘there’s a lot of overhead in the system, a lot of administration’’.