• Full Story

Cuts force tertiary institution to close

Email
Print

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 1:10p.m.

The Practical Education Institute bills itself as the 'place to learn'

The Practical Education Institute bills itself as the 'place to learn'

One of the country's biggest private tertiary institutions is closing its doors after losing "substantial" Government funding due to poor course completion rates.

Practical Education Institute (PEI) in New Plymouth has announced it will wind down its courses, offered in business, computing and hospitality, over the next 12 months.

This follows a decision by the Tertiary Education Commission in December to cut nearly $3.5 million in funding to four tertiary institutions where too few students completed their course.

In a statement, PEI said the cuts left the company no choice but the shut down its educational sectors, a decision that "has not been taken lightly".

The organisation's 100 staff members had been informed of the move at midday on Tuesday.

"We are working with them during this very difficult time and will provide them with as much support as we can," PEI said in a statement.

It would work to ensure its 700 enrolled students were not affected by this decision, with all support services remaining in place until they have completed their course of study.

"A number of staff will remain to provide this service," the statement said.

Tertiary Education Commission figures show just over half of PEI students completed their courses in 2010.

PEI acting chief executive Nick Zieltjes was unavailable for comment.

The fate of the other three institutions, Chubb New Zealand Limited, Framework Solutions Limited, and Otaki-based Te Wananga o Raukawa, is still to be decided.

NZN

Become a fan of 3 News on Facebook and on Twitter.

Post a Comment

Before commenting, please take the time to read our moderation guide


(Won't be published)



Comments

22 Jan 2012 11:08p.m.

Matty wrote:

Clarke with all due respect, I don't think you would find many right leaner's who begrudge paying benefits.. not to the sick or the truly needy. It's the couch potato's and no hoper's, the ones that don't contribute, or try to, they need to be kicked off the benefit, not just for the extra dollars, but for their own good also. Oh and one more thing clarke, the election. If people didn't get off their arse to vote, then they don't count. 51% of the people who voted, chose Key. I'll admit he ain't perfect, but he's the closest thing this country's had in a long time.

19 Jan 2012 10:57a.m.

Dan wrote:

Maybe ure right about what you have written and maybe I am misguided about the bene rorting the system but when I see neighbours who are 20 years + sittin at home doin nothing and living on benefits, drinking liquor purchased with my tax dollars and raising a ruckus that we cannot sleep at night and driving like maniac's on the roads in a car and fuel funded by my tax dollars, i feel what i wrote was right. I dont care if the top echelon are rorting the system as they are leading to boom in the economy. What contribution does a beneficiary have towards the economy other then being a burden?

18 Jan 2012 10:41a.m.

Clarke wrote:

@Dan misinformed much? There are more people rorting the system at the top than at the bottom. Would you kick a dieing person off a benefit?... this bene bashing mentality is so boring. Some people rip off the system but you are labelling sick people and dieing people with the same hatred. Our system isnt screwed because of welfare, most recently it was screwed when the government decided to give the overpriveldged who caused the recession 1.5 dollors in taxation back each year. Which means 15 percent of the money that we have been borrowing each year has been just to cover the elitist tax cuts. People rorting the system... lol thats a joke... more company directors went to jail in the last 3 years for rorting the system than beneficiaries did. you need to stop buying into Paula Bennetts hate campaign... its just a cent cent trick from a very nasty woman. Hitler used hate to generate hatred against the jews... Bennett used the same trick in 2009. But Bennett is a hero and Hitler a crazy criminal? lol if you ask me they are exactly the same as each other.... slimey and yuck.

17 Jan 2012 05:20p.m.

Dan wrote:

Its a shame that the govt. is willing to continue feeding bludgers and people who rort the system through welfare but is not willing to fund educational institutions who will raise the standard of our nation. Look at the amount of lawlessness in the country and misguided youth. This is another nail in the coffin for our society.

17 Jan 2012 02:16p.m.

Clarke wrote:

Well, we all know that under the National party only elite children are entitled to a tertiary education. This isnt the first institution to close as a result of government cuts... I wonder if the fat cats gave themselves a pay rise this year... funny how more cuts are needed to make up for things like John Key living an overpriveledged lifestyle. Hypocritical really.... if cuts are needed in state services still lets see politicians offer to take a 20 percent pay cut. Not likely with an out of touch Prime Minister who only got 34 percent of the vote.. which means 66 percent of the country didnt vote for him or any of his coalition partners.