Opinion Piece: Funding questions at the heart of our incredible shrinking polytechnics

The answer to the question was that the country did need its polytechnics but, in the business-oriented policy environment that consolidated in the 1990s, they were expected to return a budget surplus.

Achieving a surplus was made even more difficult after 1990, because of the growing number of private providers. As public organisations, polytechnics carry a range of overheads that make them more expensive to operate. Private competitors have lower costs and can cherry-pick areas of provision that return a profit.

Funding questions at the heart of our incredible shrinking polytechnics -- Waikato Tmes