TAFE SA managers fear savings may force campus closures, emails reveal
TAFE SA managers are warning workers that crippling savings targets could force more campus closures, emails reveal.
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TAFE SA managers are warning workers that crippling savings targets could force more campus closures, on top of freezes on everything from staffing levels to colour printing.
Emails from managers to staff, obtained by the Australian Education Union and seen by The Advertiser, say TAFE SA must save $15 million by the end of the financial year.
They say “classes are to be merged where possible”, goods and services budgets are being slashed, and spending on staff, travel, credit cards, and professional development frozen.
The union says the emails, from which names have been removed, are from multiple managers in the TAFE SA business unit that covers foundation skills and primary industries and sciences. It says it is aware of similar messages in other parts of TAFE SA.
“We are facing some tough times this semester and further implications will most likely lead to site closures, staff reductions and possible campus closures,” one email says.
“Classes are to be merged where possible – HPIs (hourly paid instructors) are only to be used as a last resort.” It says “admin support is shrinking”, professional development (PD) events can only go ahead if there are non-HPI staff to “backfill” teaching requirements, and colour printing is barred “unless absolutely necessary”.
Another email says “goods and services amounts (are) being pulled from our budgets” and “all credit card expenditure needs to cease”. A third says savings targets mean “freezes on spending on things like travel, PD, catering” and, “most critically”, reigning in HPI usage, which will put “added burden” on other staff.
The final email says even requests for HPIs to cover staff who are ill and on other types of leave “have not yet been approved”.
The Port Adelaide, Tea Tree Gully and Parafield campuses have already closed under the Marshall Government. But in a partial backflip , four others that were earmarked for shutdown were downgraded instead.
Australian Education Union state president Lara Golding said the savings pressures were “putting course delivery at risk, and the provision of quality training”.
TAFE SA chief executive David Coltman said further closures have not been considered. “We continue to implement savings when needed, and continue to invest in new initiatives to improve our students experience,” he said. “We are focused on delivering a fresh start and supporting South Australia’s future workforce needs.”
The Government said all savings targets had been made clear in State Budgets, and came in the context of more than $100 million in extra spending on TAFE SA to ensure it could successfully move on from the course quality scandal under the former Labor government.
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Education Minister John Gardner said given the state TAFE SA was in when the Liberals won power, “enormous budget efficiencies” would have been required regardless of the organisational rebuild needed after the scandal. Mr Gardner said there was “no secret” about budgeted reductions in staffing.
He was not aware of any campus closure proposals, which TAFE SA would have to put to the Government for approval.
“In the first instance it’s up to the TAFE board to look at what measures it may think are appropriate,” he said.
