Mallard makes another mess

Polytechnics will be hit hard by Education Minister Trevor Mallard’s move to renege on a deal hammered out last year over controversial community education courses, says National’s Education spokesman, Bill English.

Last year the Labour Government responded to pressure over phantom computer and sing-along radio courses by giving polytechnics three years to wind down the controversial courses, some of which were running simply for financial gain.

“However, Mr Mallard has shocked polytech management by trashing the three year deal and announcing he will remove tens of millions of community education funding from 1 January, 2006,” says Mr English.

“Some polytechs will lose more than $2 million. One may lose more than half its revenue.

“Because of the way Mr Mallard has reneged on the previous deal, there will now be significant redundancies in some polytechs, probably by the end of this year.

“Mr Mallard’s actions are totally unfair to polytechs that did not exploit the community education loopholes. He is punishing those who actually followed the rules.

“In typical fashion, Labour has broken its word and thrown the baby out with the bathwater.

“Labour is about to make as big a mess of polytechs as it has of NCEA and the Wananga,” says Mr English.

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