Students Urge PTE Investigation

Students Urge PTE Investigation

The New Zealand University Students’ Association (NZUSA) is calling on the government to undertake a major investigation into the funding of Private Training Establishments (PTEs) in light of the details released today on the Practical Education Training Centre in New Plymouth.

“The real issue is that there are hundreds of private providers with very few accountability measures which are receiving public funding. Some of these providers have been enticing students into their courses with the promise of cheap computers and overseas travel, “ said NZUSA Co-President Andrew Campbell. “It’s time that pretty serious questions were asked about why these sorts of providers are funded by the taxpayer at all.”

“We suspect that the PETC case may just be the tip of the iceberg, and that there may be many other poor quality courses of limited value to students out there. All PTE funding needs to be reviewed with a view to move money away from dodgy PTEs and towards our much more reputable and reliable public instituions,” said Campbell.

“Private tertiary fees are on average $1000 more than university fees and $2000 more than polytechnic fees. It seems that both taxpayers and students would get more value from money if the government invests in its own universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and wananga.”

“A government investigation into quality and accountability within private education would be the first step to ensuring that more fly-by-night education providers don’t misuse precious public funds,” said Campbell.

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