By STACEY BODGER
A merger application that would lead to trainee teachers being awarded Massey University education degrees will be declined unless Education Minister Trevor Mallard can be convinced of its potential.
Mr Mallard has made a preliminary decision against the Auckland College of Education and Massey University merger.
But he has given the institutions two weeks to present him with more information about the educational benefits a merger might create.
If the merger goes ahead, trainee teachers at the Auckland college would study for a bachelor of education degree in teaching through joint programmes at Massey's Albany, Palmerston North and Wellington campuses. Massey merged with the Palmerston North College of Education in 1996.
Massey vice-chancellor Professor James McWha said a merger with the Auckland college would provide teachers with more postgraduate qualifications and also offer doctoral courses in education.
Professor McWha said the two institutions thought they had presented a case to Mr Mallard that showed strong support for a merger, which would be in line with an international shift towards full university-level teacher education.
"We can become a centre for teacher training as good as anywhere else in the world that could not be achieved individually."
Benefits would include a university sanction on teacher qualifications, greater opportunities for specialist and postgraduate programmes and a broader base for teacher education research.
The principal of the Auckland college, Dennis McGrath, said students wanted university recognition of their entire qualification and most wanted to attend a university-level college of education in their own region.
Mr Mallard said he was not convinced the proposal justified more than a closer working relationship between Massey and the Auckland college. He would need new information which built a compelling case for a merger to change his mind.
He was concerned that a merger would disadvantage other colleges of education - going against the state policy of a collaborative tertiary education sector. The merger has Commerce Commission approval.
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