Collectively, the polytechnics that now make up the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology made a multimillion-dollar deficit for the third consecutive year and many are expecting losses again this year.
Some of the bigger institutes are yet to reveal their losses, but annual reports published to date showed some polytechnics made deficits as large as $4 million-$5 million last year.
Institute interim chief executive Chris Collins said this year would also be challenging.
‘‘Clearly, some of the subsidiary polytechnics are going to be in pretty difficult financial situations this year.
‘‘There’s no internationals coming in .. . so that means we have to assume the revenue impact across the sector is going to be quite significant for a lot of the institutions,’’ he said.
Mr Collins said despite the difficulties, millions of dollars of government funding for the creation of the new entity would ensure it got through the year.
Polytechnic enrolments usually increased during a recession as people retrained to find work and inquiries about courses were already rising, Mr Collins said.
Forecasts indicated enrolments could rise by more than 20% next year, he said.
Tertiary Education Union president Michael Gilchrist said a significant increase was expected to begin before the end of the year.
Annual reports showed losses of more than $4 million at institutes including Manukau, Northland, Waikato and Toi Ohomai in Rotorua and Bay of Plenty.
Unitec, Wellington, Whitiriea and the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki were yet to report their results but told RNZ they made deficits in 2019, while Tai Poutini on the West Coast also confirmed a significant deficit.
Otago Polytechnic had a $1.6 million surplus.
• The Otago Daily Times was unable to reach the Southland Institute of Technology to seek a copy of its annual report.
