Make your voice heard.

Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union is encouraging members to write to Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds to express their dissatisfaction with the lack of due process evidenced by her recent media comments.

TEU hit out at the Minister last week in the wake of a lengthy interview on Radio NZ during which she indicated (amongst other things) that she expects as many as ten standalone polytechnics by the end of 2025, that there will be significant job losses, and that viability would be achieved through selling assets and more online learning.

Te Pou Ahurei Takirua – Ahumahi | Assistant National Secretary – Industrial, Daniel Benson-Guiu says, “the Minister’s comments show that she has predetermined the outcome of public consultation that doesn’t close until Thursday, and is inappropriately interfering in the running of Te Pūkenga, which is not due to cease to exist until 31 December 2025.”

“TEU is encouraging members to email the Minister via penny.simmonds@parliament.govt.nz to ask her to slow down and listen to staff and officials before rushing a decision that will be disastrous for Aotearoa’s future.”

The current proposal open for feedback sets out two preferred options for Te Pūkenga, both of which threaten the viability of a large number of polytechnics.

Radio New Zealand published a story a fortnight ago that summarized official advice to the government that the Minister’s reforms are going to leave the sector in a $96.3 million hole next year, and would deliver “only moderate to low benefits on a range of measures, including better learner outcomes, and would require significant additional resource to return entities to viability.”

This is at a time when Te Pūkenga has outlined a pathway to sustainability.

Benson-Guiu says, “we need members to tell the Minister to stop this vandalism and find a way forward for vocational education that won’t slash jobs, cut provision and leave some of the poorest regions of Aotearoa with little or no in-person delivery.”

“Tell her to stop talking about cuts and start planning the future of the sector with the staff and students of the sector.”