A decision is nearing on which polytechs and institutes of technology will revert to standalone education providers, with their own governance structures.
Tertiary Education Minister Penny Simmonds told RNZ this month that she expected five or six institutes would be ready to stand on their own by January, with three more to follow by the end of next year.
The weakest polytechs and institutes of technology will be pulled together in a “blended delivery” or “federation” model.
Prior to the establishment of Te Pūkenga, there were 16 polytechs and institutes of technology around the country.
“Cabinet will make the decisions about the proposed reforms, including who will be responsible for decisions on whether polytechnics are standalone or part of the federation, if the proposed federation model is confirmed,” Simmonds said, adding public consultation had ended.
“Cabinet intends to make policy decisions in November 2024 on the proposals.”
“I would expect that EIT would return very quickly to its ability to be autonomous,” she said, of its future.
Flooding at EIT's main campus at Taradale during Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023, which led to a lengthy rebuild. Photo / Warren Buckland
“It certainly wasn’t under financial pressure prior to the [Te Pūkenga] reforms, it had a very solid operating model, it had good buy-in from the community, I see no reason why EIT can’t get back to its former glory.”
EIT’s main campus is in the Napier suburb of Taradale but it also boasts multiple learning centres and campuses on the East Coast.
Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti’s five mayors - Kirsten Wise (Napier), Sandra Hazlehurst (Hastings), Craig Little (Wairoa), Alex Walker (Central Hawke’s Bay), and Rehette Stoltz (Tairāwhiti/Gisborne) - have issued a joint statement supporting EIT’s status as a standalone education provider.
The five mayors said, in the statement, they planned to invest $4 billion over the next 10 years in the region’s growth and recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle.
“With many of those workers yet to be trained, a skilled workforce will ensure this mahi [work] is completed.
“As one of the largest populations in the country without a university, EIT is critical to our recovery while ensuring educational opportunities for key regional industries such as horticulture and agriculture, along with trades, nursing, arts and design, and more.
“Since 1975 EIT has been an exemplar as a tertiary education and training provider, teaching around 12,000 learners each year.
“Returning EIT to a standalone polytechnic will ensure it will be able to provide students with more choice and flexibility to continue providing innovative learning.”
Wise studied a bachelor of business studies at EIT, on her way to becoming an accountant, and her daughter currently studies there.
She said she would love to see it revert to a standalone model by the start of the next academic year (early 2025) - and “the sooner the better”.
“We were one of the most successful polytechnics in the country prior to Te Pūkenga and we are well placed to return to being one of the most successful polytechnics in the country.”
Wise said it would be great to see him return as CEO “if that is something he was keen to do”.
Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.
