Chris Hipkins announces Labour's education policy. Video / Mark Mitchell
Enrolments are rising across the region's tertiary institutes causing some to create extra classes to accommodate demand.
But the Tertiary Education Union believe more staff were needed to help the ever-growing student numbers.
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology had 5250 enrolled domestic students as of last week, chief executive DrLeon Fourie said.
Toi Ohomai has campuses across the region in Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupō, Whakatāne and Tokoroa.
"This is 15 per cent more than this time last year and may become higher as our inquiries and applications continue to rise. We have put on extra classes to accommodate the additional demand.
"Covid is a big factor, we are seeing people wanting to re-train or study in areas which are needing more staff."
Leon Fourie said there was a high demand in most areas, but also in te reo Māori. Photo / File
While Fourie was seeing a higher demand in most areas, trades, construction and primary industry courses had the highest demand alongside those wanting to learn te reo Māori.
The institute has seen a 64 per cent decline in international students with the borders still closed.
The maximum number of students the Tertiary Education Commission had agreed to fund was 4518 equivalent full-time students (EFTS), Fourie said, which was similar to the delivery in 2019.
There are 3325 EFTS currently enrolled.
Fourie said Toi Ohomai was tracking to meet or exceed this number and would work with Te Pūkenga New Zealand Institute of Technology for additional funding if needed.
Te Pūkenga, the national institute of which all 16 polytechnics are subsidiaries, said it had government funding for 69,800 full-time students this year, an increase of 3000 over last year.
However, with additional students comes a bigger workload and Tertiary Education Union national president Tina Smith said many staff across the tertiary sector had been working beyond capacity for years.
"Staff in the tertiary sector are committed to student learning and student success. But they are also human beings.
"It's like having a cart pulled by four horses, then you take away one or two horses but put 15 to 20 per cent more weight in the cart; something has to give."
Smith said decent staffing numbers were essential to meet students' needs.
"With increasing domestic enrolments staff numbers do not match student numbers or student need.
"We need to put people first in education because the working conditions for staff are the learning conditions for students.
"By investing in people and education we are investing in the future of NZ and both individuals and the communities will do better in the future."
In response, Fourie said this was not true for Toi Ohomai.
"We have increased the number of cohorts and teachers due to the higher demand, and our staff to student ratio remains the same."
Waikato University Vice-chancellor Professor Neil Quigley. Photo / File
Waikato University were asked to respond specifically to their Tauranga campus, but Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley said it was too difficult to comment on enrolments to date while in the middle of the process.
However, current indications were enrolments were up on 2019 and 2020.
"Like all New Zealand universities, 2021 is when we will begin to feel the full effects of a downturn in international enrolments associated with Covid-19.
"While it's true we are seeing new domestic enrolments that may be attributable to changes in people's circumstances as a result of Covid-19, this will not substantially offset the loss of international EFTS."
Quigley said there were still 1200 international EFTS enrolled at both campuses. This was made up of students still in New Zealand or those studying remotely.
He said the Tertiary Education Commission had agreed to fund approximately 8200 EFTS in 2021 and the commission was prepared to fund an extra 2 per cent more if needed.
Tertiary Education Commission deputy chief executive delivery Gillian Dudgeon said she was confident the commission could cope with unexpected changes in enrolments.
The allocation of funding was finalised in the last months of every year which each institute has a right to respond to in light of new information.
"Once the study year starts, if tertiary education organisations find they have a higher demand for courses than we have funded, they can request additional funding."
The commission could also recover funding if institutes had fewer students than expected.
Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi were approached for comment.
