Greens bill to stop TAFE cuts in NSW – AAP
NSW Greens will introduce a bill to stop state TAFE reforms saying they could sound the death knell for the public vocational education provider.
The Greens say the NSW government plan to introduce a new Smart and Skilled market in 2015 will force TAFE to compete for students and funding with “low quality” private providers.
The reforms will allow students to choose a subsidised place in a course at TAFE identified on a skills list, or with a private college.
NSW Greens MP John Kaye believes the reforms could lead to TAFE “disappearing”.
Dr Kaye will introduce a bill to State Parliament in the next fortnight in a bid to stop the plans.
The bill also aims to stop TAFE job cuts and take fees back to 2010/11 levels.
“Because that was a time when TAFE was not at risk of going under,” Dr Kaye told AAP.
The Greens MP admitted if the bill was put to the vote now, it would lose.
But he believes there is a real opportunity for communities to rally MPs to support the bill.
NSW Public Service Association General Secretary Anne Gardiner said members had reported TAFE cuts were already affecting student learning.
“Our members tell us that cutbacks are already reducing students’ access to learning support services, including lack of IT and technical support and maintenance of classrooms and laboratories,” she said in a statement.
