News

The Otago Polytechnic (OPT) will have to start turning back potential students after it was unable to secure the amount of Government funded positions it had hoped for.

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) and the National Government are trying to cut back on the $2.5 billion annually put into the tertiary sector, and reducing the amount of funded places at tertiary institutions is one of the plans they have put into action.
   As a result, the OPT has been forced to tighten up its entry requirements to ensure only students who have demonstrated motivation, and who are the most likely to succeed, are allowed in. OPT Chief Executive Phil Ker tells Critic that “we will be more discerning and [will be] looking harder at taking in people who are more likely to succeed.”
   However, it has been suggested that these new criteria pose problems in that they are weighted towards students from areas where there are more educational opportunities, and away from areas that struggle to get the resources needed to ensure their students succeed. 
   Council Member Rebecca Parata, who voiced her concern at the changes when they were brought in front of the Council, says “Maori, who are over-represented in stats regarding leaving school early, will lose out in this.”
   Parata also doesn’t see the necessity in capping education providers. “Tertiary education has never been in this position before … when we had a similar economic situation in the nineties, education providers weren’t taxed in this way. Unemployed New Zealanders could turn to education providers, and re-enter the workforce once the economy bounced back.” 
   Ker tells Critic he wouldn’t have taken these measures if the Government’s spending choices hadn’t forced him. “Philosophically, anyone can succeed with the right motivation and support … our job is to hopefully provide the environment to help success.” 
   There is also growing concern that more young people will end up being forced onto the Benefit as a result of the closing-off of educational opportunities. Over the last year there has been an eight percent increase in young people aged 18-24 going onto the Benefit in the Otago region. 
   Ker shares the concern that more young people will end up on the Benefit as a result of this “short-sightedness” in Government spending. “It’s a tragedy … this Government is the only government in the world to my knowledge that isn’t investing in training during this recession. They just don’t want to spend the money.”