Telford, which offers hands-on training in agriculture, horticulture, and rural management on a 921ha working farm near Balclutha, was destined to be scrapped, before the government resurrected it using seeding funding designed to help polytechnics during the breakup of Te Pūkenga.
Ministry of Social Development advice, off the back of Treasury advice, queried the worth of Telford, which was losing $1.5m per year.
"It is not clear how this represents greater value for money than the retention of industry priority provision, regionally critical delivery, foundational education, or secondary-tertiary programmes."
They advised the government not to go ahead with a proposal for strategic transition funding to be used to keep Telford open "pending decisions in mid-2026" because the Southern Institute of Technology was "likely to close its Telford Campus as part of its financial improvement work".
Polytechnics have been asked to present financial plans to the government to prove they are individually sustainable.
Green MP Francisco Hernandez said the government’s tendency to go against its own advice was alarming.
"The Greens have consistently advocated for thriving polytechnics that can cater to the needs of their learners and wider communities,
"But the government have cut polytechs to the bone while offering Band-Aid funding to staunch the bleeding.
"All Polytechnics, including the Telford Campus, need support from the government — instead of the minister just picking favourites.
"Cutting courses, cutting jobs and closing campuses will not create independent, thriving polytechnics – only fair funding and a real plan for transition will.”
Otago Polytechnic is lumped in a "federation model" with Open Polytechnic and Universal College of Learning.
Otago Polytechnic received $861,466 in transitional support funding for next year from the Tertiary Education Commission’s Strategically Important Provision (SIP) Fund.
Executive director Dr Megan Pōtiki said this funding supported polytechnics to maintain strategically important provisions during the transition process, and they were working to ensure "our allocation best supports our long-term strategy and goals".
"This is an exciting time as we move closer towards being a locally-led institution once more.
"We will also be part of the federated model, but have the assurance of Minister Penny Simmonds that we don't have to access shared, federated services if we achieve our financial recovery."
Asked about the Telford situation, Dr Pōtiki, who has been critical of the government’s approach in the past, said: "we’re remaining focused on our own immediate future at Otago Polytechnic".
Ms Simmonds was approached for comment.
