After years of cost cutting, rising fees, privatised training and job losses, TAFE needs an urgent plan to safeguard its future.
Member for Balmain Jamie Parker MP will host a public meeting to launch the Greens' plan to save TAFE, with a particular focus on local institutions Ultimo TAFE, Petersham TAFE and the Sydney Institute:
When: 6:00-7:30 pm Tuesday 25 February
Where: Leichhardt Town Hall
Speakers: Australian Education Union, Pat Forward
TAFE Community Alliance, Linda Simon
Public Service Association, Andrew Holland
Greens MP and education spokesperson, John Kaye
To secure TAFE's future, Mr Parker and Dr Kaye will introduce the TAFE Changes Moratorium (Secure Future for Public Provision of Vocational Education and Training) Bill 2013 into the NSW Parliament later this month that aims to:
* freeze funding to private providers at appropriate levels
* reverse rising fees for students, and
* immediately stop the Liberal/National state government's aggressive Smart and Skilled market that will force TAFE into a race to the bottom with low cost, low quality private providers.
Greens MP Jamie Parker said:
"State and Federal Labor and Liberal governments have driven TAFE to the brink of collapse. TAFE students are being asked to pay more in order to receive less. Class sizes will rise, the range of courses will be reduced and time to help individual students will all but disappear.