Notes from this morning's session, organised by the TEU, bringing together six speakers who represent the Quality Public Education Coalition (QPEC). John Minto, deputy chair of QPEC, facilitates the session. Each speaker speaks for 10 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Q & A. At the end, discussion on the strong themes through the presentations ensued.
The speakers are:
- Tina
Smith (Tumu Whakarae/President, TEU)
Speaks on 'From Vision to Reality'. Began with a review of the intention of the reform of vocational education (RoVE) and some agreement with the need to change. Change sought to remove the unhealthy tension between ITOs and ITPs, Wānanga and PTEs to better encourage collaboration. There has been continued financial stress with rolling sequence of reviews, restructure etc. The vision is laudable - learners at the centre, support employers to recruit and develop skilled, productive employees, support communities and regions to flourish; and system need to adapt to change and have new educational models.
Reviewed history of ITPs, evolution from technical colleges to become community polytechnics. The emergence of ITOs. Introduction of degree and master programmes into ITPs and the workplace assessment vs education tension. Reviewed the impact of the funding system, e.g. more than 1/2 of income for ITPs came from non-government funding (i.e. international students, student fees). IN 2017, VET provision was only 1/2 provided through ITPs, the rest was through ITOs, Wānanga and PTEs. ITPs bore the brunt of underfunding with $$ having to be injected to keep some afloat. Therefore the new unified funding system will have a major impact. Finished with the need to grow hope and that Te Pūkenga charter, requiring collaboration, equity and meeting Te Tiriti principles sets up a way forward.
Focused on 'embedding a culture of appreciation'. Has faith in Te Pūkenga but a 'start right'/ 'stay right' has been someone derailed and a cause of some angst at the moment. Used the metaphor of a car. A state of the art Lamborghini cannot meet its potential if it has a lawn mower engine! Therefore conditions of work for Te Pūkenga kaimahi, if of importance. Resourcing, stability and recognition required to support kaimahi to give of their best to ensure ' learners are at the centre'.
Presented on the topic 'RoVE and its implications on trades training. Defined VET, Work-based and work-integrated learning, the implications of the unified funding system. Work Development Councils and their roles and the lack of consultation with VET educators as they have been constituted. Also covered briefly 'skill standards' and microcredentials and their major disadvantages with poor contribution to holistic development of individuals.
Agree that Te Pūkenga has not provided consistent information or understood clearly the differences between work-based and work-integrated learning.
Has had a comprehensive portfolio in student representation within the ITP system. Discussed the implications of the amalgamation under Te Pūkenga for students and their communities. Especially for the identity of place and how Te Pūkenga maintains and honours local stories and traditions. Mitigation the disconnections created through centralised services requires careful introduction and development. Raised the concern as to how Māori, Pasifika, the Tiriti will actually be enacted. Requires concerted professional development, of which, for the moment, there has been no specific information.
From the student viewpoint, online learning may not be the most relevant delivery for all disciplines, or all students. Need clarity on who in Te Pūkenga listens to the learner viewpoint. Some anxiety and stress from learners due to the ongoing uncertainty.
Committed to ensure Te Pūkenga lands effectively. Has had a role as a critical friend through the process thus far. RoVE sought to try to address the result of the neo-liberal era in 1990s Aotearoa. VET is still not well-defined. Proposed (tongue in cheek) that VET is vacation education due to low productivity. A sound VET should contribute to increased productivity for ALL. Equity challenges and participation are now aligned across QPEC, Te Pūkenga and TEU. However, how is Te Pūkenga going to fare?? The QPEC article provides good overview and background Raised the spectre of microcredential vs a holistic qualification; the on-ging challenges of sustainability. Important to treat teaching as a profession, not outsourced to employers; define what Te Pūkenga is and what it is not; ensure learners have actual choice; ensure WDCs listens to and acknowledges the educator voice; and harness the strengths of centralisation while allowing local autonomy and innovation.
Spoke on 'unquiet ghosts' neo-liberal hauntings in the RoVE. Neo-liberalism has not gone away :( Ministries still exhibit traits of the right and seem to have brought in people with this to set up 'reformed' institutions. Used Polanyi's work on unregulated markets which lead to devastation of human relations and the environments we depend on. Critique manageralism and neo-liberalism as fundamentally opposed to democracy. Management is a skill best kept from the day-to-day minutiae of knowledge which accumulates as a result of doing the job. Collectivism interferes with the free flowing of the market and there for anti-neo - liberalism. These explain why kaimahi have not been listened to.
Cynical viewpoint is that the market needs workers - they are 'better as an un-educated, uncritical workforce and the new 'ITP' sector is being pushed towards this through the system. To 'deliver' qualifications which are standards developed by a separate organisations (WDCs). Markets do not work well for banking, education and health (social goods). New manageralism (following neo-liberal doctrines) should not be inflicted on organisations tasked with social good.
Advocates a clear and deliberate approach of solidarity that equates education with not just skills for industry but rather, also have the capacity to critique our societies. Vibrant activist unions are critical. Neoliberal policies will not disappear quickly and we need to be prepared for a long fight! Education is not just about skills but to enable people to meet their potential, to critique society and prepared to contribute to the wider community.
Strong themes - 'how do we prevent education being a commodity'? 'How to bring through the authentic student voice'? 'RoVE focused on what employers want, is it useful to address this to ensure education is of importance, not just skills, also discussed by the panel. See ppt from 2020 QPEC conference on 'learnings' from the Unitec 'neoliberal' focused restructure - 2013 - 2017.
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