Ara staff slam proposal to cut learning support roles in bid to slash $600k

Friday, 25 April 2025

Tertiary Education Union Ara Christchurch Co-Branch president Tim Robinson says staff are already under huge pressure.

A proposal by Ara to cut learning support roles as part of a wider restructure to improve the institution’s financial viability has been criticised by staff as short-sighted.

The proposal, one of three that have been put out for consultation to staff seen by The Press, outlines a plan to reduce learning support services by nine full-time equivalent (FTE) roles to save approximately $600,000.

Tertiary Education Union (TEU) co-president for Ara Tim Robinson, who teaches painting and decorating at the Woolston Trades Campus, said learning support staff were already under huge pressure providing help to students with reading or maths needs.

Staff can make an appointment for a student to get one-to-one or small group tutoring but there is often a waiting list as the service is in high demand, he said.

“Especially in the disability space we find there’s quite a long waiting list before a learner will even get to see that person - to reduce those roles seems a bit odd, especially as one of the stated outcomes is greater learner engagement and success.”

Ara Academic Staff of Canterbury president Warwick Shillito said the union had called for a moratorium on the proposed cuts to learning support roles while management considered strong evidence of their value presented by members.

“We see the value of the roles from the evidence presented by members, in terms of retention and success of those students.”

Students celebrate at Ara Institute of Canterbury's graduation in March 2023.

Another proposal to establish three faculties to replace numerous departments would see 7.4 FTE management roles cut.

A third proposal was to cut free drop-in computer classes known as Ara Connect as “financially unsustainable“. In 2024, 400 people attended Ara Connect classes in Christchurch and Timaru.

Ara’s director Ako Excellence, Deborah Young said submissions would be considered after the mid-semester break and staff would be told of a decision at the end of May.

“We are committed to handling this process with the utmost respect for the privacy and wellbeing of our team. Because of this, we cannot provide further details while the process is under way.”

Staff also raised concerns about the proposed integration of culturally specific learning support teams, Ākonga Success, Māori Success and Pacific Achievement and their management as part of the restructure.

Jobs and community computing classes could go if a proposal for change goes ahead at Ara Institute of Canterbury.

“Members have told us a reduction in Māori and Pacific learning advisers would increase waitlists for ākonga looking for culturally responsive support - which has been proven to improve learning outcomes,” TEU organiser John Miller said.

All three proposals say the restructure aims to fix Ara’s unsustainable financial position but include no detail about the institute’s financial status.

“Ara is not immune to the financial pressures facing our sector. For the past three years, for a variety of reasons, we have not produced a surplus. This level of financial performance is unsustainable.”

In June 2024, the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) raised concerns about the financial viability of Te Pūkenga’s Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITP) divisions, including Ara, and required Te Pūkenga to engage specialist consultants to review the financial performance of ITP divisions.

Ara declined a request for the financial review saying “we do not believe the need to withhold this information is outweighed by the public interest in its release at this time”.

One Ara TEU branch committee member who did not want to be named said the proposal would disadvantage the most vulnerable ākonga.

“My understanding of the position polytechs have in our society is they serve our community. Instead of stepping up our services we are withdrawing them and therefore failing our community.”

Staff were also concerned about potential “job creep” - that they would be expected to pick up work from disestablished roles, Robinson said.

Ara staff had been through huge change as a result of the merger with Te Pūkenga and now they faced yet more upheaval and uncertainty, he said.

“In some ways it looks like it’s just starting to work, and it’s being torn apart by the new ideology that’s come in and it’s just prolonging the difficulties with the continuous meddling that’s happening.”