Fears held for the future of NMIT

Concerns that the region’s biggest tertiary institute could lose courses, staff and money have prompted a call for the Nelson City Council to take action.

City councillors Mike Rutledge and Paul Matheson said consultation with education officials in Nelson last week on the Government’s planned polytechnic sector overhaul failed to offer assurances that the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology would retain its employees and $20 million in cash reserves if the changes went ahead.

Rutledge has drafted a Notice of Motion, seconded by deputy mayor Matheson, requesting the council make a submission on the Government proposal, outlining concerns about its plan to merge the country’s 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics into a single entity.

‘‘Nelson needs to be very concerned about proposals to nationalise our polytechnic,’’ the councillors said in a joint statement.

‘‘We fear it will result in less staff, less courses and a less responsive training institute for our region.’’

NMIT employed 270 people, attracted over 5000 students, and provided skilled graduates to the sectors that formed the backbone of the region, they said.

‘‘It would be wrong for the gains of all the hard graft, prudent governance and effective management to be taken from our region ... and given to a large national organisation because other institutions in other regions had not been successful.’’

Land gifted to the institute by the council also needed to be recognised and protected for the region’s benefit, the councillors said.

‘‘In 1903, the land the Nelson campus sits on was gifted by the city to NMIT, ever since the institute and the Nelson community have been closely linked. The current Government proposal could see those links destroyed.’’

Yesterday Education Minister Chris Hipkins extended the consultation period on the proposal by a week, to April 5, in recognition of the Christchurch mosque attacks.

Rutledge was to present the Notice of Motion to council on Wednesday, March 27.

ALDEN WILLIAMS/ STUFF Future graduation parades in Nelson could be a lot smaller if the overhaul of the country’s 16 institutes of technology and polytechnics goes ahead.