Tertiary Sector Changes
Recently announced changes in the funding and structure of tertiary education are aimed at supporting and strengthening regional provision, and shifting funding from low-quality and low-priority courses to high-quality ones. The changes flow from a policy review of these areas that began at the start of the year, following concerns expressed from a number of quarters.
The Minister of Education had this to say: "As a result [of the review], the government is taking action to shift funding from low quality courses of little value to students, taxpayers and employers, to courses that are relevant, of high quality and that meet the needs of communities and the economy."
One of the main changes coming from the tertiary sector review is the setting up of a Quality Reinvestment Fund of $177.8 million, over five years. This fund will aim to help polytechnics, institutes of technology and wananga align with core priorities for the sector. Institutions that have problems due to location, high cost courses, small class or regional population sizes will be supported and be able to access this Quality Reinvestment Fund. A fact sheet on the QRF can be downloaded from http://www.tec.govt.nz/downloads/a2z_publications/fact-quality-reinvestment_doc.html
Other changes include:
- An extra $46 million over four years to increase opportunities for adults to improve their standards of literacy and numeracy (used to expand the Adult Literacy Learning Pool and Workplace Literacy funds) - see fact sheet at http://www.tec.govt.nz/downloads/mediareleases/adult-literacy-numeracy.html
- Increase in targets for industry trainees and Modern Apprenticeships.
- Flexibility to make further investments in out years (that is, beyond 2005/06).
- Changes to the way Adult and Community Education (ACE) is funded so the same rules are generally applied to all providers (see below).
- Tighter and enhanced quality assurance and monitoring systems in government agencies to ensure that both new and existing provision is quality and relevant.
- A limit on growth in individual qualifications, so that no certificate or diploma level qualification can grow by more than 200 EFTS (Equivalent Full Time Student places) in any 12-month period unless approved by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).
- Teams of experts, including government education experts and others from outside government, will go into the regions and work closely with institutions during the transition.
Changes to Adult & Community Education (ACE)
The main aim of the ACE changes is to make sure that the amount of money ACE providers receive in the future depends on how well their activities and programmes line up with national and regional priorities. Government also wants to see a high level of regional involvement in funding decisions through local ACE networks, including the development of local advisory committees that will be involved in funding decisions. Exact details will be the subject of Cabinet decisions later this year.
Details of ACE Changes can be found on a fact sheet at http://www.tec.govt.nz/downloads/a2z_publications/fact-ace-short_doc.html The entire suite of releases can be found at http://www.tec.govt.nz/about_tec/mediareleases/release63.htm |
Contact for Enquiries
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: 0800 00 83 33
Fax: +64 4 894 0720
Contact this person
