No youth guarantee choice in Taranaki

Media Release
23 September 2009

No youth guarantee choice in Taranaki

Taranaki is the only region in New Zealand where youth guarantee students won’t have the choice to attend a high quality, publicly-owned tertiary education provider.

The 30 youth guarantee places provided for 16 and 17 year olds in Taranaki have all been allocated to private training establishment H and G Training. Every other region in the country has had at least two providers appointed, at least one of whom is a public institute of technology or polytechnic.

“We don’t know who applied and what the selection criteria were for applications but it is a shame for youth guarantee students that that they won’t have the option of recognised, high quality public education,” said TEU national secretary Sharn Riggs.

“The youth guarantee funding for 2000 students across New Zealand is a positive investment in New Zealand education and we are glad to see a wide range of high quality providers across New Zealand appointed to deliver on the government’s guarantee. However it does seem a shame that the young people of Taranaki won’t have the option of going to their local polytechnic,” said Ms Riggs.

ENDS

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