Shortages of nursing and social work staff in Aotearoa can only be met with strong training programmes.

However, current moves to consolidate the curriculum in the new network of vocational education provision – Te Pūkenga - will fall short of delivering strong and adept workforces in nursing and social work according to Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union members.

TEU members have repeatedly called on the leaders of Te Pūkenga to give them more time and to ensure strong staff-driven process to deliver quality, workable and consolidated curriculum in nursing and social work. These two areas of teaching and learning have been the first targeted for consolidation in processes that have been rushed and left staff feeling disrespected and not listened to.

The union is now launching a petition to all working in tertiary education, nursing, and social work to help deliver their message to the leaders of the new vocational education network.

Te Pūkenga gave nurse tutors and the nursing community only 11 days to review and comment.

TEU National President Tina Smith says “the first versions of the Te Pūkenga consolidated curriculum out for consultation are missing critical components and the timeline of implementation is unrealistic. The nursing curriculum proposed has no immunisation modules for example, and in social work they’ve removed modules for teaching students the needed skills to work with refugee and migrant communities.”

“All we’ve asked for is some more time so that staff in the tertiary education sector, who know the value of working together, can ensure the best learning outcomes for all akonga.

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