Response to Tertiary Education for PTEs

MEDIA RELEASE – 23 May 2002

Response to Tertiary Education for PTEs

“Excellence, Relevance and Accessibility were the key words of the Associate Minister in framing his view of funding tertiary education. The announcement sends a clear message to students bound for, and attending private tertiary institutions that they are not in the same class as their counterparts in the public tertiary education sector,” said Kevin Smith, President of the New Zealand Association of Private Education Providers (NZAPEP).

“Clearly access is restricted by the capping of places in the sector and there is a real danger of losing the innovation and expertise that the private sector has carefully developed over the years. Excellence is compromised by a discriminatory funding mechanism and relevance of programmes for our students and employers will be lost in a decreasing choice available for students attending private institutions.”

“The key problems are inequity and inconsistency. The Hon. Steve Maharey said at our conference on September 2000 that ‘If we are going to fund students to study, then we are not going to fund them at second-class rates. Every student is entitled to an education of the highest quality.’ Now the Minister has created a second class funding environment where students attending private institutions will pay more or have their access to education curtailed by a funding cap set at the 2001 funding level.”

“NZAPEP want quality education and training and believe the whole sector must be made accountable. Private institutions enrol over 40,000 students, are the preferred choice for training within industry, and many boast very successful employment outcomes. A high proportion of their students are Maori and Pacific people and the sector also caters successfully for migrants and refugees.”

“The private sector also provides value for the taxpayer as despite having 15% of the EFTs funded students it receives only 8% of the budget.”

Contact Kevin Smith on 025 284 5020 (mobile)
NZAPEP is the largest national association of private training establishments registered with NZQA. Its 189 members enrol over half of the PTE students in New Zealand.

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