Photo: supplied
Five months out from a deadline to centralise, concern the new single-entity mega polytech won't get over the line without massive staff cuts.
Te Pukenga - the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology - is due to be up and running by the first of January - bringing together all our polytechnics, institutes of technology and Industry Training Organisations.
But it's facing a deficit of up to $110 million, $53.5 million more than budgeted. Former Otago Polytechnic chief executive Phil Ker, is calling it "a national disgrace".
He thinks funding has been wasted on bureaucracy and says Te Pukenga's board is "just not up to the task." Kathryn is also joined by Merran Davis, a former deputy chief executive of Te Pukenga, who supports the new model, but agrees it is being poorly executed.
