Polytech hands out $80,000 to boost roll

Christchurch Polytechnic gave out $80,000 in book vouchers in an attempt to lure students into free courses that offered no assessment or formal qualifications, Associate Education Minister Steve Maharey confirmed yesterday.

Mr Maharey disclosed the sum in Parliament under questioning from National's education spokesman, Bill English.

Mr English said the polytechnic last year offered colleges and libraries as far away as the Bay of Islands a $20 book voucher for each student they helped to enrol in the controversial courses.

The polytech had also approached individuals at shopping malls and offered them a book voucher if they enrolled.

Community education courses, which nationally have ballooned in cost and student numbers in recent years, have copped flak for their subjects, which have included radio singalongs, twilight golf and coffee-making.

Mr Maharey said Tertiary Education Commission officials had since spoken to the polytech about the spending.

"One of the things the Government has been impressing upon providers is that we do not want to see them spend money on anything to do with anything other than education."

The minister said officials had also advised the polytech of a clampdown that will see funding cut for the free courses from next year.

Nationally costs for such courses have climbed from $16 million and 2776 equivalent full-time students in 2000 to an expected $115 million and 20,000 students this year.

Mr English later said the huge number of enrolments in "heavily funded, low-value, low-cost courses" had made a mockery of Labour's claims to have improved tertiary education.

"Something has gone awry as we now have thousands enrolled in twilight golf, coffee-making and in personal grooming courses," Mr English said.

Since 2000 trade training had received only an extra $40 million in funding, less than half the increase of community education courses, despite worker shortages in the sector.

"Students, aspiring apprentices, researchers and industry trainees will be frustrated to see so much wastage, while they were told the Government couldn't afford to back them."

Mr English said there had been more than 96,000 enrolments in community education courses at Christchurch Polytech last year.

But Mr Maharey said in total only 35,000 students had enrolled in the Christchurch courses as many had enrolled in more than one.

Mr English said there had also been 46,000 enrolments in community education courses at Gisborne's Tairawhiti Polytech - more than the population of Gisborne at the time of the last Census.

- NZPA