Greens MP Dawn Walker has been visiting TAFE campuses in the region this week, and predicts Connected Learning Centres will be the death of TAFE.
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Ms Walker said the digital hubs, currently being rolled out in Glen Innes and Tenterfield with headquarters in Armidale, would be a blow to vocational education.
“The National Party [wants] to sell-off our TAFE campuses, cut teaching staff and replace face-to-face learning with online modules in tacky shopfronts,” she said.
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has defended the changes, saying Glen Innes Connected Learning Centre (CLC) would see full-time teaching jobs and courses increase.
Currently there are two full-time and 26 part-time teachers at the Glen Innes campus, with full-time positions set to double to four by November.
The campus currently offers five courses including foundation skills, community services, engineering and related technologies, information technology and business administration.
Mr Marshall said courses offered would double via the digital hub.
“After the CLC is opened they will offer all of those plus early childhood, health and disability, agri-business management, aboriginal languages and building and construction,” he said.
Despite the increase in courses, Ms Walker said the CLC rollout would have a devastating impact on students, by reducing face-to-face teaching.
“It’s embarrassing quite frankly, and regional communities should be very alarmed about this government’s ongoing attempts to undermine our public TAFE system,” she said.
