• NTEU Home
  • Campaigns
  • Go Local
    • Universities

      Other Sector

Back to Vic Division

NTEU media release: Baillieu’s TAFE cuts threaten only sign language diploma in Victoria

Posted 23 May 2012 by Justin Westgate (Vic Division)

The Baillieu Government’s $300 million budget cut to TAFE threatens the existence of the Australian Sign Language course at Kangan Institute in Richmond, the only one of its kind in Victoria, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Wednesday.
 
“Since these cuts were announced in the Victorian budget, hardly a day has gone by without more details emerging about the extent of the damage they will cause to our TAFE system,” said Dr Colin Long, NTEU Victorian Secretary.
 
“Nearly all of the state’s 18 TAFE institutes have announced they are considering significant course closures and staff redundancies.”
 
“Now the Australian Sign Language course at Kangan Institute of TAFE in Richmond could be the latest casualty.”
 
“This course is the only one of its kind in Victoria and provides sign language training to deaf people as well as interpreters, teachers of the deaf and other professionals.”
 
According to an article in The Age today, Kangan Institute has told students the course was “unviable” and would close by the end of the year.
 
“The Auslan diploma is obviously vital in improving the lives of deaf people,” said Dr Long.
 
“There is already a shortage of interpreters for the deaf and the closure of Kangan will make this situation worse,”
 
“It is another example of the way socially vital but financial difficult to sustain courses provided by TAFE have been swept up in the devastation of these cuts.”
 
“I have no doubt this won’t be the last important course to be placed under threat as TAFE management struggle to comes to grips with the extent of the funding cuts they face.”
 
“The Baillieu government needs to realise how wrong headed their planned cuts are and reverse them now.”
 
 
For further information and comment:
Colin Long, NTEU Victoria Secretary: 0403 920 361
Andrew Nette, NTEU Media Officer: 0431 217 131


Comments

There are no comments. Be the first to have your say!

Post a comment

Please be considerate and respectful in your comments.

Branch Contacts

Branch Office


Rm 1211 Mathews Building Kensington Campus
University of NSW
Phone: 02 9385 2479
Fax: 02 9385 2570
unsw@nteu.org.au
http://www.nteu.org.au/unsw

Sarah Gregson
Branch President
s.gregson@unsw.edu.au

Kiraz Janicke
Branch Organiser
kjanicke@nteu.org.au

Richard Bailey
Branch Organiser
rbailey@nteu.org.au



NTEU Online Store

Site Search

Copyright 2013 the National Tertiary Education Union  |  About  |  Privacy  |  Site by Datalink