In August last year, SIT2LRN distance students outside of Invercargill became ineligible after Te Pukenga announced the SIT zero-fees scheme would continue in 2024 but only for students living in the southern region, and those studying at the Invercargill, Gore, Queenstown and Telford (Balclutha) campuses.
The scheme will not be available to students with residential addresses outside the southern region, or those at SIT’s Christchurch campus.
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Invercargill member of parliament and former SIT chief executive Penny Simmonds announced the free fees would be re-established for distance learners. The zero-fees scheme was incredibly important to the city, she said.
A $7.25million contribution from Southland entities, including local authorities, the ILT and local businesses, brought the scheme to fruition in 2001 because the community understood what it would mean for the city, she said.
"It transformed student numbers and made a significant impact on the region’s economy."
SIT grew from a small polytechnic, of about 1400 equivalent full-time students (EFTs), prior to zero-fees, to about 5000 at its peak.
For more than 20 years, the continuous flow-on to the city and region has been significant.
It is estimated the scheme annually contributes about $150m to the region’s economy, while 40% of graduates remain in Southland for work.
"Thankfully that has now been stopped."
The decision to disestablish Te Pukenga gave a clear signal decision-making responsibility around things like the zero-fees needed to go back to the regions and communities who initiated and benefited from such decisions, she said.
“I am delighted to see the zero-fees scheme for SIT2LRN is back – allowing students across the country to access the unique programmes that SIT has to offer.
“I know what the zero-fees scheme means to students, the community and employers and industry in this province and around the country," Ms Simmonds said.
SIT operations manager Daryl Haggerty said the institute had already seen an increased uptake in online courses since the latest announcement.
The online courses worked well for those who worked full time because it gave them the ability to study at their own pace.
Expense can often be a deterrent but the free fees scheme provides an option that will normally be considered out of reach.
Ms Simmonds believed local decision-making around zero-fees was the way forward for SIT.
“As tertiary education minister, I am determined to continue with the disestablishment of Te Pukenga and a return to more local decision-making – after the last government wasted hundreds of millions of dollars building a bureaucracy, even while staff morale collapsed and regional needs suffered.”
Mr Haggerty said morale of the 400 permanent SIT staff had lifted since the announcement.
"There was certainly a buoyant feel when that was announced ... there were a lot of smiling faces.
"A lot of people here will be very pleased that it’s happening."
There are no plans to extend course subjects at this stage.
"We need to stabilise ... and take a restock of where we are at the moment."
But he expected it could be looked at in the coming months.
- By Toni McDonald
