Results released last week show the SIT Murihiku Tertiary Academy (MTA) for secondary school students had some results above the national average in 2023.
They show 96.8% of SIT’s academy students attended at least 80% of their classes (23.5% above the national average of 63.3%); 88.9% achieved NCEA L2 (10% above the national average of 79.9%); and 79.4% achieved at least 80% of their programme credits (22.5% above the national average of 56.9%).
The programme students attended the academy one day each week, studying programmes in Invercargill, Gore, and Balclutha, allowing them to try different career opportunities and gain credits towards NCEA while still attending high school.
It encompass a wide variety of vocations, including building, mechanical and electrical trades, as well as beauty, hairdressing, game art and design, music and audio, animal care, agriculture, equine, fitness, outdoor skills, nursing, health and support services and the hospitality sector.
SIT operation lead Daryl Haggerty said 253 students were part of the academy.
"It is fantastic to see the success levels of students participating in the SIT Murihiku Tertiary Academy programmes.
"It is a credit to our staff, students and their secondary schools."
He said SIT’s aim was to deliver robust quality learning programmes which ultimately provided employment and growth opportunities for the people, communities and regions it served.
"The positive results show we are carrying this out well and they support the value that SIT can offer our stakeholders."
Mr Haggerty said this week they had been working hard to became an independent polytech once again.
In August, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds unveiled the government’s plan to group the weakest polytechnics together and let the strongest stand alone.
During a visit to SIT in the same month, Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) deputy chief executive Gillian Dudgeon said no polytechnic was financially sustainable enough to become a stand-alone institution.
However, SIT and Southland leaders believed it was possible to work towards the goal.
"We continue to work with the TEC appointed financial advisers to show SIT’s positive pathway, and the value we provide to communities," Mr Haggerty said.
A decision on the first tranche of the entities to stand alone will be made by January 1 next year.
