Tasmanian Education Association calls for the reunification of TAFE

The Tasmanian Education Association has called for the reunification of TAFE by combining the Skills Institute and the Tasmanian Polytechnic.

These institutions were created when TAFE Tasmania was divided into two parts during the failed Tasmania Tomorrow plan to restructure Post Year 10 education in Tasmania.

Recently treasury released details that Tasmania Tomorrow has cost Tasmanian taxpayers $70 million.

Expenditure on Tasmanian education reform over the last decade has been a disaster. The Essential Learnings (ELs) cost $50 million. The Atelier reforms of special education lost $20 million. Now Tasmania Tomorrow has lost at least $70 million. Money that could be used to ameliorate the Tasmanian government’s debt crisis is continuing to be wasted.

TEA president, Greg Brown, said, ”This is what happens when Government reform is not based on research and world’s best practice. Tasmania Tomorrow is a dismal failure. It shows what happens when strong, viable, successful public institutions are dismantled by political ambition and ideology. Over $140 million has been squandered on educational reforms in the last ten years. It is no wonder that Tasmania is now in a financial mess. Just think about what that money could be used for now.”

Mr Brown said,” Before Tasmania Tomorrow, TAFE Tasmania was winning national and international awards. Now the TAFE brand and its outstanding reputation have all but disappeared. Two administrations, a reduction in courses and an alarming loss of student numbers are causing ongoing problems.”

The TEA is urging the education minister, Nick McKim, to reinstate TAFE from the start of 2012.

“The Greens under Nick McKim’s leadership went to the last state election with a policy to end Tasmania Tomorrow,” Mr Brown said. “It is time that he did that. Mr McKim is not obligated to continue saving face for those in government who created the Tasmania Tomorrow. He will however be held accountable if he continues to do nothing to stop the haemorrhaging of public money that the ongoing division of TAFE into Skills Institute and Polytechnic is causing.