Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman is demanding answers from the NSW Government following the sudden cancellation of vital high school-level courses at Moss Vale TAFE, leaving vulnerable students stranded just days before term commencement.
The Certificate II, III and IV in Tertiary Preparation Studies (equivalent to Years 10, 11 and 12 respectively) have provided a lifeline to students who can’t attend high school for various reasons. The unit at Moss Vale’s TAFE has been lauded for its success in supporting students with complex needs, including those with tough home situations or difficulties in traditional schooling environments.
“This is an outrageous decision,” said Mrs Tuckerman. “These students were already enrolled. To cancel their programs three business days before class, without notifying parents or guardians in many cases, is deeply negligent. These are young people who have faced setbacks already unable to get their ATAR the traditional way and this Labor Government has pushed them right back down in cancelling this course.
According to community members, in 2024 six students achieved ATARs with an average of 94 of a cohort of 16 students that graduated from the program.
“If it was a selective school in Sydney, achieving these kind of results, there would have been headlines and accolades,” said Mrs Tuckerman. “Instead, these students are treated as expendable and told to put their lives on hold for a year.”
Emails citing “insufficient demand” were sent directly to students and in-person justification was followed by a string of contradictory reasons, ranging from staffing issues to budget constraints. Yet, following student advocacy and a face-to-face meeting with regional TAFE officials, partial face-to-face teaching has since been reinstated, casting serious doubt over the original explanations.
“The fact that we’ve seen a backflip and some teaching hours have now been offered shows that this is avoidable,” said Mrs Tuckerman. “It is clear that the NSW Government has the capacity to meet these students’ needs. The question is whether they have the will to do it.”
Some students were advised to travel to campuses in Campbelltown, Wollongong, or Goulburn which is a round trip of up to three hours per day while others were told to defer their studies until 2026, losing a full academic year and delaying their university and employment prospects.
“This is yet another a great example of the Labor Government’s mission to erode equity and opportunity in regional NSW,” said Mrs Tuckerman. “I have written to the Minister for TAFE, the Hon Steve Whan, to demand an immediate reversal of this decision and a commitment to the students of the Southern Highlands.”
Mrs Tuckerman is calling on the Minister to urgently restore the full teaching program at Moss Vale and ensure no student is forced to abandon their studies due to bureaucratic bias, government mismanagement or cost-cutting.
“TAFE’s own materials state that they are committed to equity, ensuring social or financial
WENDY TUCKERMAN 