Latest news with #TePouAhurei
Scoop
04-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Cuts Set Toi Ohomai Up To Fail
Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union is devastated by today's news of massive job losses proposed at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology. The institution is proposing to disestablish the jobs of 166.7 full time equivalent staff with a total net loss of over 60 jobs after new roles have been filled. The cuts will effect campuses in Rotorua, Tauranga and Whakatāne; and most disturbingly threaten the closure of the Tokoroa and Taupō campuses. The proposal identifies the 2023 change of government and the current Minister's requirement for ITPs to demonstrate ongoing viability if they want to become standalone entities as a key driver of the cuts. Te Pou Ahurei | National Secretary Sandra Grey describes the proposal as 'outrageous' and lays the blame squarely at the feet of the National-led government. 'Education is not a business. It operates, for the most part, on government funding. National, ACT and New Zealand First are trying to pull the wool over the public's eyes by refusing to adequately fund polytechs before forcing them to slash and burn their way to oblivion because they have been labelled 'unviable'. Toi Ohomai's TEU (Rotorua) branch Kaiarataki Takirua | Co-leaders Ashton Ledger and Santana Ammunson say 'these proposed changes pose a significant risk to our regional campuses – especially Taupō and Tokoroa - and undermine the government's stated intentions to shape a regionally-responsive and sustainable vocational education and training system.' 'It's also ironic to note that these proposed changes will slash support for international students – an area the government expects us to grow to make up the shortfall of their underfunding. We are being set up to fail.'
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Budget 2025 – A Fiscal Hole Filled By Taking From The Most Vulnerable
Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union warns that this year's budget doesn't contain enough new money to keep the lights on. Te Pou Ahurei | National Secretary Sandra Grey says 'the funding commitments made, even in the STEM subjects and those described by the ministers as 'workforce demand areas', fail to cover rising costs in the sector.' 'The shortfall of new money will be met by job cuts, increased student fees, and propping up the system by hoping more international students will come.' 'This is another example of a government that has created a fiscal hole, filling it by taking from the most vulnerable. They have done it to Māori by cancelling Whānau Ora contracts, they have done it to women by cancelling pay equity and now they are doing it to young people by making education unaffordable, and defunding subjects like arts and the humanities.' 'Instead of showing leadership by investing money in our future workforce, they would rather give tax breaks to landlords and tobacco companies.' Craig Marshall, an Associate Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka | The University of Otago, says 'it's regrettable that this should have happened and it illustrates a failure to understand what a proper education system is.' 'For funding on STEM to almost match inflation is beneficial but most universities would be looking at ways of ensuring that their humanities programes remain viable. If you don't know the value of what people want and how they intend to use it then the thing has little value. Humanities tell us about the way people think, which is something we also need to know.'
Scoop
21-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Weltec And Whitireia Cuts A Shocking Blow For Their Communities
Press Release – Tertiary Education Union These short-sighted moves rob future generations of study options, our future workforce of skilled workers and our future communities and regional economies of people who can build our infrastructure, cook for and entertain us and our future tourists, … Staff at Weltec and Whitireia have been left reeling by a change proposal, announced today, that if confirmed will see nearly 60 positions disestablished. This number represents over one in five academic staff members. Programmes facing the axe include Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Fabrication, Light Automotive Engineering, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Writing, Publishing, Cookery, Baking and Hospitality. In addition there are 6 full time equivalent roles proposed to go in the libraries and Māori carving and weaving programmes are under threat. Also of great concern it the loss of programmes that provide Skills for Learning and Working for students with disabilities. Te Pou Ahurei | National Secretary Sandra Grey says 'this proposal is an enormous blow to the young people, the community and the people of the Wellington region. These short-sighted moves, carried out at the behest of Penny Simmonds and her government, rob future generations of study options, our future workforce of skilled workers and our future communities and regional economies of people who can build our infrastructure, cook for and entertain us and our future tourists, and tell our stories to the world. Helen Johnston, TEU Branch President at Whitireia says 'I feel for our community – Whitireia is the lifeblood of the region and it's our young people, our students, who are ultimately hurt the most at times like this. I worry about those who may miss out on the future they deserve and I worry for the quality of their education that will be delivered by the depleted stadd who will remain. Leo Pirini, Te Uepu Representitive at Weltec says 'I'm shocked. This is a big blow and my heart goes out to my colleagues who are impacted by this – they are all great people and talented educators. Some of them have been very long serving and loyal to their students and their institution. It's heartbreaking.'
Scoop
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Weltec And Whitireia Cuts A Shocking Blow For Their Communities
Staff at Weltec and Whitireia have been left reeling by a change proposal, announced today, that if confirmed will see nearly 60 positions disestablished. This number represents over one in five academic staff members. Programmes facing the axe include Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Fabrication, Light Automotive Engineering, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Writing, Publishing, Cookery, Baking and Hospitality. In addition there are 6 full time equivalent roles proposed to go in the libraries and Māori carving and weaving programmes are under threat. Also of great concern it the loss of programmes that provide Skills for Learning and Working for students with disabilities. Te Pou Ahurei | National Secretary Sandra Grey says 'this proposal is an enormous blow to the young people, the community and the people of the Wellington region. These short-sighted moves, carried out at the behest of Penny Simmonds and her government, rob future generations of study options, our future workforce of skilled workers and our future communities and regional economies of people who can build our infrastructure, cook for and entertain us and our future tourists, and tell our stories to the world. Helen Johnston, TEU Branch President at Whitireia says 'I feel for our community – Whitireia is the lifeblood of the region and it's our young people, our students, who are ultimately hurt the most at times like this. I worry about those who may miss out on the future they deserve and I worry for the quality of their education that will be delivered by the depleted stadd who will remain. Leo Pirini, Te Uepu Representitive at Weltec says 'I'm shocked. This is a big blow and my heart goes out to my colleagues who are impacted by this – they are all great people and talented educators. Some of them have been very long serving and loyal to their students and their institution. It's heartbreaking.'
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
New Bill Gives Minister Power To Keep Making It Up As She Goes
Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union notes yet another development in the ongoing saga of Aotearoa's vocational education and training network that contributes nothing to stability or certainty to staff or students in the sector. The Education and Training (Vocational Education and Training System) Amendment Bill was introduced into Parliament yesterday and anyone who was hoping it would provide new information on how the new system would be structured was left disappointed. Te Pou Ahurei | National Secretary Sandra Grey sees no plan 'apart from giving the Minister the power to keep making up the plan as she goes along. There's still no indication of which polytechnics will stand alone, which will merge and which will be federated – the bill says all of that will be at the discretion of the Minister.' 'This legislation contributes nothing to the financial 'viability' of or the quality of education within the system or any individual or federated providers. It provides no certainty to our members, who still have jobs in depleted and neglected institutions, and have been scared of losing their jobs for longer than they can remember.' 'Once again Penny Simmonds continues the long tradition of successive governments rearranging the deckchairs and changing some names without addressing the underlying problem.' 'For the umpteenth time – our sector doesn't have a structural problem, it has a funding problem.'
