At last some good news for TAFE
02 November 2011
The Gillard Government has stepped in to stop universities from poaching TAFE students, giving much needed relief to institutes reeling from cuts and competition.
Higher Education Minister Chris Evans yesterday announced that the Government will cap the number of diplomas and advanced diplomas that universities can offer from 2012.
Senator Evans said the university sector should not "expand at the expense of TAFEs and other vocational education and training providers" when the caps come off degree courses next year.
VET providers and universities should complement each other in the courses they offer, he added.
The AEU welcomed the announcement as some much needed good news for TAFEs.
TAFE deputy vice president Greg Barclay said: "It won't stop the poaching but it should slow it down and end the open slather for students."
Victoria has seen a worrying increase in the number of VET courses being offered by universities, which enjoy student funding up to 50% higher than TAFEs. The issue was flagged up in the Essential Services Commission report last month.
The report, into VET fees and funding warned that "distortions" in funding "create a risk that students and dual sector providers will abandon the VET system in favour of the higher education system, to the extent that some VET providers may find student numbers for some courses become unviable."
Barclay said: "It's about time that a minister realised that TAFEs are struggling on an unlevel playing field — even if that minister is in Canberra.
"We've seen what competition from low-cost private providers has done to TAFEs and the Baillieu Government has twisted the knife by cutting TAFE funding.
"It's time our ministers in Spring Street got the message that unfair competition is crippling TAFE and acted to ease our pain."
Read more about the campaign for TAFE and sign up for updates at www.tafe4all.org.au.
