Northland campus off hook

Taratahi tutors taught about 600 people enrolled as full-time students in Northland from 2012 to 2014. FILE PHOTO

Taratahi's Northland campus, it seems, is off the hook.

Funding irregularities which require the Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre to repay more than $7.5 million did not take place in Northland, says Taratahi interim chief executive Linda Sissons.

She has the top job at Taratahi's headquarters in Masterton after the sudden death of previous chief executive Donovan Wearing.

As a result of a Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) investigation, released earlier this month, Taratahi has agreed to repay the $7,549,000 it had received over a six-year period, during which it overcharged the commission for courses it had delivered.

A second breach involved the enrolling of 67 staff in an entry-level programme when little or no teaching took place.

Established in 1919, Taratahi has assets valued at over $100 million, 135 staff and more than 2000 students. It manages 50,000 stock, including sheep, beef and deer, and milks a herd of 2500 cows. It has a resident campus near Masterton and non-resident campuses in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Manawatu, Hawke's Bay and Southland.

Dr Sissons said about 600 people were enrolled as full-time students under varying programmes in Northland from 2012-14 and all were taught by Taratahi tutors.

Taratahi has 130 Northland students this year.