Private tertiary education sector consolidated

7 March 2001

Private tertiary education sector’s position consolidated

“The PTE sector has a strong future after TEAC’s report, with our contribution to the sector being clearly recognised. We are concerned, though, that any changes to funding should be based upon quality considerations and not whether education occurs in a public or private institution”, said Margaret Yates, executive member of the New Zealand Association of Private Education Providers (NZAPEP).

The private tertiary education sector has proportionally more Maori and Pacific Islands students than public providers, is very active in providing education and training for industry, and it provides innovative teaching and learning environments. All of these points were recognised in the report.

“The report clearly stated that duplication of courses was to be reduced, but this is not a major problem for our sector. The Ministry of Education’s research* shows that PTEs only compete with public institutions across 1-2% of courses, and that does not allow for the different student groups served. PTEs will be working with TEAC to ensure that they have the best information possible about our sector – our students, stakeholders and courses – to make decisions about funding. We look forward to more secure and long-term subsidies for most of our students.”

“The new approach to integrating second chance education with the rest of tertiary education is an excellent idea. PTEs train 85% of these students and we look forward to working with TEAC to ensure the potential gains occur. Recognising that these courses are primarily educational, rather than employment, interventions is a positive step.”

* Ministry of Education report available on request.

Contact Margaret Yates on 03 389 5357 (work), 025 360 924 (mobile)
NZAPEP is the largest national association of private training establishments registered with NZQA. Its 152 members enrol about half of the PTE students in New Zealand.

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