Cuts to TAFE impacting on state school students too

A large number of senior students require alternate pathways into further education or the workforce. These alternate or non-traditional pathways are commonly accomplished through vocational education and training (VET) in schools programs.

Over the years, TAFE Queensland has offered a diverse range of VET programs, enabling students to choose a pathway that best suits their individual needs.

But this may become a thing of the past, thanks to yet another round of funding cuts to TAFE and the VET sector. In the last two and a half years, there have been systematic and wide-ranging cuts and directly related price increases to courses, which until now have only affected students who undertake their study post-school.

However, the new round of funding cuts will dramatically increase the course prices for high school students undertaking a VET in Schools program. An analysis of the VET in Schools courses offered by TAFE Queensland Brisbane for the preceding and current financial years shows the detrimental effects this new funding regime will have on the students. Not only have all the prices increased, some by up to 1000 per cent, but the duration of most of the courses is shorter, which will limit students' much needed VET experience. In addition, the four courses that are no longer offered were very popular with high school students.

It is my belief that these funding cuts and directly-related price increases will adversely affect the opportunities our high school students will receive. The new prices will be well beyond the reach of the majority of school students and their families. It is also extremely important to note that the courses with the highest price increases, as well as those no longer offered, tend to negatively affect programs in vocations that traditionally have a higher percentage of female students.

Scott Tibaldi                                                                                                                      TAFE Representative, QTU Executive

Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 119 No 8, 14 November 2014, p21