Dr Paul Hutchison MP
National Party Tertiary Education Spokesman

13 December 2007

Shadbolt right, TEC wrong on tertiary reforms

National’s Tertiary Education spokesman, Paul Hutchison, says Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt is absolutely right that the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) will be punishing success if it removes $8 million of funding from the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT).

“Labour Department studies show significant skill shortages now and in the future in Southland. SIT has been innovative and refreshing with its distance learning initiatives and ‘Zero Fees' policy, both of which will boost the number of skilled people in Southland.

“Labour is clobbering a successful institution, while rewarding institutions that are failing.

“TEC is intent on implementing a centrally controlled model of education to the detriment of high-performers.

“They can’t understand that, to provide quality education at a good price, they should encourage quality providers with a good track record – such as SIT.

“Tim Shadbolt said this morning that Labour’s inept policies ‘would do more harm to Southland than the great flood of 1984’.

“He may well be right.”

ENDS

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