"It’s going to be a disaster if Southland loses Zero Fees and it’s heartbreaking that this could indeed be its final year in our province," she said.
"It’s all part of the Government’s polytechnic mega-merger Te Pukenga, which has seen the country’s 16 polytechnics merged into one entity and soon to come under one fee structure."
The loss of Zero Fees would see student enrolments plummet, cost the economy millions and would end the supply of what had been a reliable and skilled workforce for the region, she said.
"And there’s evidence to support this with a recent Economic Impact Report, produced by BERL [Business and Economic Research Ltd], showing the total spend of SIT and its students is around $157.1 million annually, while SIT’s Southland campuses having contributed $508.5 million in GDP to Southland’s economy in the past five years, along with 40% of students remaining here to work.
"Zero Fees has given our city a point of difference, boosted the economy and provided much-needed training across nursing, hospitality and tourism, trades and business."
With the labour shortages in the region it made no sense for the Government to ‘‘undermine SIT" - who trained workers to fill those gaps, she said.
"If National is privileged to become the government this year, we will get rid of Te Pukenga and ensure Zero Fees could continue at SIT."
- Staff reporter
