Witt positive about new plan
A proposal to merge the country’s polytechs into a single education institute has met with approval in Taranaki.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced a potential overhaul of the industry yesterday. It could see 16 institutes of technology combined into one entity with consolidated courses and programmes, and more use of online, distance, and blended learning.
John Snook, chief executive of the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (Witt), said the proposal was very positive for the New Plymouth-based polytech.
‘‘If anything it brings more teaching and learning to the regions such as Taranaki,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s talking about putting more resources into the actual teaching and delivery of the programmes that regions need and to alleviate the burden of some of the development and administrative tasks that they’re currently facing.’’
He said it was too early to say how Witt would be affected, but the commitment and the vision would be for a high quality, flexible and robust vocational education system that prepares people for work.
‘‘We’ve got high hopes for it actually.’’
It was a ‘‘logical position’’ for the future of vocational education, he said. ‘‘We shouldn’t be moving this training from the regions and here is a model that brings a system and quality focus.’’
Snook also encouraged people to take part in the consultation, which closes on March 27.
Hipkins released his proposal to strengthen the ‘‘broken’’ sector, with the polytechnics and technical institutes facing what one commentator called a ‘‘perfect storm’’ of demographic shift and government policy changes.
The three key proposals – merging New Zealand’s polytechs, creating a new vocational education funding system, and making industry training organisations responsible for 140,000 trainees and apprentices to better align on and off-the-job education – aim to prepare the system for a future economy in which Kiwis are likely to retrain throughout their working lives.
Merging the polytechs into a single entity, tentatively called the New Zealand Institute of Skills & Technology, is a step further than the consolidation of core academic functions that polytechs and the Tertiary Education Commission had suggested, but Hipkins said it would help address ‘‘weak governance and management capabilities’’ in the sector and reduce the cost to taxpayers.
The President of the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations, James Ranstead, said that the new proposal would be more effective for students with diverse backgrounds, rather than independent institute councils competing.
Federated Farmers said they would be highlighting the need to ‘‘teach farming on farms, not online’’.
‘‘It’s talking about putting more resources into the actual teaching and delivery of the programmes that regions need.’’
John Snook