The government is making changes that will gut our polytechnics. If they go ahead, campuses will close, jobs will be lost and courses will be cut or moved online.

Regional polytechs have been starved of funding for years, then labelled “unviable” and cut to the bone.

We need strong properly resourced polytechs that meets the needs of our regions by providing local, public and quality training for ākonga.

Without them, people will have drastically reduced options for training and retraining without leaving their regions and important employers like builders, hospitals, and mental health services will struggle to find well-trained local staff.

If the government valued equitable education and regional development, it would provide funding that meets the actual costs of delivering quality education.