Members of Otago Polytechnic’s council are outraged that the polytechnic will be turning away potential students because of its Tertiary Education Commission imposed EFTS cap on funding for next year is likely to fall below this year’s cap of 3,200.

The Otago Daily Times reports that the polytechnic will introduce a more stringent selection process where first-year students with strong academic records applying for high-level diploma or degree programmes will be accepted ahead of those who met only minimum requirements.

Chief executive Phil Ker said students with strong academic qualifications enrolling in degree and diploma courses would be accepted first and those with poorer educational records or enrolling in lower-level programmes might miss out.

One councillor Rebecca Parata said the policy would disadvantage the most vulnerable young people at a time when it was difficult for them to find work.

She said 8 percent more Dunedin people aged between 18 and 24 are currently receiving a benefit than the same time last year.

“As a country, we should be using the current economic environment to ensure we up-skill young people, not shut them out of further education … If we don’t get them into work or training they will be on the streets.”

Ms Parata said the policy could also affect mature students, who made up about 40 percent of Otago Polytechnic’s roll.

Another councillor, Dr Peter Coolbear, said the policy countered the reason polytechnics existed – “as engines of regional and economic development”.

A third councillor, Dr Malcolm Macpherson said the policy had been produced with the polytechnic in mind, not society.

Thanks to leighblackall @ Flickr for the photo