The proposed new TAFE Campus at Nelson Bay will be a 'Connected Learning Centre', according to the NSW Teachers' Federation who have slammed the idea saying teachers are "outraged and disgusted".
Similar to the newly opened campus at Singleton, Connected Learning Centres (CLC) offer courses through new technologies such as virtual reality.
Duty MLC for Port Stephens, Catherine Cusack confirmed the Nelson Bay TAFE would be a CLC campus, saying it was a "brilliant" way of offering TAFE.
However, MP Kate Washington has hit out at the proposal with continued concerns over TAFE funding in the Hunter, saying the new campus is little more than a "shopfront" or "Internet cafe".
Catherine Cusack rebutted these claims saying the new campus will benefit TAFE students in Nelson Bay.
"What shopfront or Internet cafe is equipped with classrooms, practical learning spaces, and virtual reality? What Internet cafe offers students 43 TAFE qualifications?"
The NSW Teachers' Federation has also criticised the plan, saying Port Stephens does not need a new TAFE campus. Robert Long from the Federation says the idea is too little too late.
"Fundamentally, the problem with this funding is that the Premier who's been absolutely attacking TAFE students for eight years is now rocking up two minutes before the election saying that she's going to spend money on TAFE,
"Well it's not good enough, it's way too late and we need guaranteed funding for students right now," he said.
Kate Washington says it was a "fake announcement" and that the government can't be trusted with TAFE.
"To now believe the Premier that she suddenly cares about TAFE, and is going to build a campus in Nelson Bay, is just unbelievable."
But, Catherine Cusack says the new style of campus will be good TAFE in the Hunter.
"This is a really exciting model of service delivery for those communities where there aren't sufficient students for a full-on apprenticeship course," she said.
"This offers an opportunity to deliver these courses locally, whether it be hairdressing, all of these apprentices who otherwise have to travel into Newcastle, and therefore we're not getting the TAFE participation rates we'd like."
Despite the claims the party has a poor track-record with TAFE, both Port Stephens Liberal Candidate, Jaimie Abbott, and Ms. Cusack supported the plan, saying they're set to deliver.
Kate Washington dismissed the praises for the new style of campus, saying these courses should be offered through the practical TAFE college in Tomaree, not in a second campus.
"This proposal is little more than a shopfront with computers where students can learn online.
"This could include courses like childcare, aged care, and hairdressing. To learn those courses online I do not think is what the community expects of TAFE," she said.
Kate Washington also raised concerns that the new campus would have "no teachers on site", and these concernswere echoed by the NSW Teachers Federation.
Catherine Cusack responded saying while there would be no staff who work solely at a CLC campus, there would certainly be plenty of staff working online or on a temporary basis at the campus, as following the "online" model.
She also said that she was confident in her party's commitments towards TAFE, saying, "The NSW Liberals will offer 700,000 free TAFE courses over four years, while Labor only delivers 600,000."
Labor will likely cancel the plan if elected in March, meaning the future of the proposed new TAFE campus at Nelson Bay will be a pressing issue for voters at the election.
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| Port Stephens MP, Kate Washington, and Robert Long from the NSW Teachers' Federation have come out against the proposal for the Nelson Bay TAFE campus. |
