The National-led government’s proposed Youth Guarantee Scheme, which aims to offer alternative education options for 16 and 17 year olds, needs to make sure it doesn’t move young adults out of our public education system simply so they can become a commodity for private companies, warns TEU President Dr Tom Ryan. His comments follow statements by the government in recent weeks that it wishes to “fast track” the scheme.

“Giving teenagers options that keep them in education is a great aim that we all agree with, but I’d be worried if fly-by-night private providers started mopping up students between secondary school and polytechnic because the government was in a hurry to introduce a policy before the framework was in place” said Ryan.

He went on to say that the scheme was to be closely integrated with five new trades academies around the country, but four of these academies are not yet up and running. The Minister of Education, Anne Tolley, has only just called for expressions of interest to establish them.

“There are a number of already well-established programmes that address the link between secondary and tertiary education, such as STAR, that the minister could support instead to ensure they continue to provide a quality service to students. Polytechnics also could help but enrolments in most of them are already up near the the limit of their student cap”, said Dr Ryan.

“New Zealand has an integrated and respected public education system that stretches from early childhood to tertiary.  It’s important that the Youth Guarantee Scheme does not allow second-rate private providers to mop up students simply because officialdom wants them out of the school gates but off the streets.”