Media Release: Budget Cuts Bad for Students and Community

29th May 2009

"Students are concerned about potential negative impacts for the Nelson region following Budget 09", says Rachel Boyack, President of the Student Association of Nelson-Marlborough Institute of Technology Inc (SANITI).

Budget 09 sees a significant reduction in the Quality Reinvestment Programme (QRP), from just over $15 million in 08/09 to $3.3 million in 09/10. This is important funding for tertiary education providers to develop their capability, in order to deliver relevant learning opportunities for their communities.

"I am concerned about the effects of these changes on the Nelson and Marlborough regions. NMIT provides an important service in the form of educational opportunities for school leavers, adult learners, and local workers seeking to up skill", says Boyack. "Such massive funding reductions have the potential to stall the up skilling of our local workforce. Individual students and the community will suffer."

"Our region needs to grow, and tertiary education plays a critical role in the ability of our community to innovate, develop and build economic growth."

Students are concerned by the lack of consultation on these changes, and the impacts such large reductions in funding could have on the costs of their education. "Students are already drowning in debt, and the thought that fees could rise in this environment is concerning to many", says Boyack.

In addition to funding reductions, students have expressed concern that $100 million dollars worth of tertiary scholarships are being disestablished.

"I intend to contact Studylink and find out just how many students at NMIT currently receive Government scholarships, in order to assess the potential future impact for our students and lobby the Government on this short-sighted decision" Boyack concluded.

ENDS

Contact Rachel Boyack 027 545 7491

SANITI is the Student Association of Nelson-Marlborough Institute of Technology Inc. and represents 8800 students nationwide.