A high ranking Cabinet Minister has announced that the government intends retaining distinct Colleges of Education for
the foreseeable future, despite a report into the issue not being released till February. The move was welcomed today by
the New Zealand University Students’ Association (NZUSA).
Dunedin North MP Pete Hodgson made the announcement during a speech to the opening ceremony of the Dunedin College of
Education’s 125 Anniversary celebrations. The fate of Colleges of Education was to be announced in the upcoming Tertiary
Education Advisory Commission (TEAC) report on the shape of the tertiary education sector, not due for release till
February.
“NZUSA welcomes the governments commitment to high quality providers of teacher education. The current Colleges set high
academic standards and serve students well”, said Andrew Campbell, Co President of NZUSA.
“It is vital that the government supports the current Colleges of Education while examining the proliferation and
necessity of teaching providers in the private sector. The government should seriously consider its continued funding of
private teaching providers given the constraints of an ever diminishing education dollar and the negative effects that
the competitive model has had on the sector”, said Campbell.
“Colleges of Education have an important social role. The education of the country’s youth is in their graduates’ hands.
The current Colleges of Education, with their long histories’ and high academic standards are the best equipped
institutions to carry out this role”, said Campbell
ENDS