Via MPs Catherine Wedd and Katie Nimon, the Government has announced that EIT will once again be free standing.
“From 1 January 2026, Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) will return to regional governance — a move that will strengthen Hawke’s Bay’s economy and better support local industries,” they say.
This is a ‘full circle’ return to what local leaders advocated back when the ‘consolidation’ was first proposed. Read this BayBuzz column, Our EIT, written in 2017 by then-EIT Council Chair and Hastings Girls’ HS principal for 19 years Geraldine Travers.
BayBuzz asked for clarification about what “regional governance” might mean this time around. We received this response from Tertiary Education Minister Penny Simmonds:
“From 1 January 2026, EIT and nine other polytechnics will return to regional governance, meaning each will once again be accountable to its own community. That includes the re-establishment of local leadership structures. The details of those governance arrangements, including the composition of local boards, are being finalised through the legislative process currently before Parliament.”
Our local MPs embellish …
“EIT has delivered more than 40 years of higher education to Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, and the East Coast, offering 130 programmes ranging from foundation to degree and postgraduate levels. Restoring local governance means these programmes can better reflect the needs of local employers — helping more people into jobs that support our region’s growth,” says Napier MP Katie Nimon
“Regional polytechnics like EIT do more than deliver education — they play a key role in supporting businesses, creating opportunities for school leavers, and helping workers upskill and stay connected to their communities,” Nimon says.
“By shifting decision-making closer to home, we’re making sure training is shaped by those who understand local labour markets best. EIT will work in partnership with employers and industry to deliver the right skills, in the right places, at the right time,” Tukituki MP Catherine Wedd says.
“These reforms are part of the Education and Training (Vocational Education and Training System) Amendment Bill, which is currently before the Education and Workforce Select Committee. We expect the Bill to pass in October, following a thorough public consultation process,” Wedd says
Of course what they are not saying is that many courses are being cut or hollowed out, staff morale is at an all time low and spending in almost every other area is being reduced which will inevitably impact students’ experiences.
If those National people really mean business, they need to return ALL the funds taken from EIT.
Great – another reversal of a stupid decision that was made without due diligence by a bunch of seat warmers in Wellington. EIT will certainly go from strength to strength without the Wellington bureaucracy fiddling around without any idea of what is actually needed locally. Now all they need to do is reimburse EIT for the costs involved in the original decision and hand back any funding they stripped at the time