Hon Maryan Street
List MP

5 March 2009
Media Statement
Slashing of Tertiary Education Commission jobs short sighted

News that more than 70 jobs are to be cut from the Tertiary Education Commission makes a mockery of the government’s promise to cap, not reduce job numbers in the public service,” said Maryan Street, Labour’s Tertiary Education spokesperson.

“But more than that, it threatens the important work of the body whose job it is to agree on funding levels and monitor the performance of the tertiary education providers. These are the very organisations which New Zealand is going to turn to more and more as the recession deepens, to upskill New Zealanders and fit them for a smarter, more productive economy when we come out of the recession,” she said.

“It makes no sense to trim back the frontline services to universities, polytechnics, private training institutions, and community and adult education providers when we will need every bit of higher education available to fit New Zealand’s workforce for the future.

“A potential cut of 20% from baseline is a short sighted measure. Downscaling literacy and numeracy programmes through withdrawal of staff in the regions is completely contrary to what our economy will require in the future if we are to recover well from this recession,” said Maryan Street.

ENDS

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