Anne Tolley

Wellington, Sept 29 NZPA - The Government has released its draft tertiary education strategy 2010-2015 and says the aim is to improve achievement and build a skilled and innovative workforce.

Education Minister Anne Tolley said it set out the direction the Government wants tertiary education to take in the next five years.

"It also sets out the improvements the Government is seeking in the performance of the system," she said.

"In particular, providers need to be more responsive to students and industry and make better use of resources."

Ms Tolley said the Government's priorities were to:

* increase the number of young people (aged under 25) achieving at levels four and above, in particular completing degree-level qualifications;

* assist Maori and Pasifika students to achieve at higher levels;

* increase the number of young people moving successfully from school into tertiary education;

* continue to assist adult learners to gain literacy, language and numeracy skills that lead to higher level study or skilled employment;

* improve the educational and financial performance of providers; and

* strengthen research outcomes.

Ms Tolley said she wanted feedback on how those priorities could be achieved.

Labour's tertiary education spokeswoman, Maryan Street, said the strategy created more questions than it answered and was "disappointingly opaque" when it came to the Government's real plans.

"But the smoke signals are there," she said.

"After months of refusing to acknowledge as accurate tertiary institution concerns about increased enrolment demand, she has finally conceded there are significant enrolment pressures."

Ms Street said it was clear there would be no additional funding to cope with that pressure.