The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) has proposed cutting 35 roles in the latest round of public sector cuts, the PSA says.
According to the union, the Crown entity tasked with administering educational assessments and qualifications has proposed a net loss of 35 roles.
The proposal involves disestablishing 66 roles, with 13 currently vacant — 31 new roles will be proposed.
PSA assistant secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said: "A number of the roles proposed to go relate to the delay in the implementation of the new NCEA level 2 and 3 standards."
"Which is disappointing as critical expertise will be lost and despite the delay, planning and other work needs to occur now.
"It is particularly worrying that they are being gutted with seven roles proposed to be cut. This team is critical to supporting assessment at kura Māori and other schools offering Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, and those underserved by the education system," she said.
In April, the Ministry of Education proposed cutting 565 roles, with more than 200 vacancies. The PSA said today it understands there is a proposed net reduction of 755 positions, of which 316 were vacant.
"The scale of proposed cuts across the education sector is dangerous and damaging and should concern parents and everyone who cares about the future of our children," Fitzsimons said.
The NZQA proposal comes after all staff at Stats NZ were offered voluntary redundancies this morning.
This afternoon, PSA also said Kāinga Ora is also planning to cut 130 roles.
The Kāinga Ora proposal would reduce the size of the Information and Intelligence, Technology, and Organisational improvement areas by 103 positions (by nearly 25%) alongside the Customer Experience and Practice team by three roles.
"The cuts at Kāinga Ora are rushed and ill considered, coming at a time when the country is facing a housing affordability crisis and before the results of an independent review of Kāinga Ora led by former Prime Minister Sir Bill English are known," Fitzsimons said.
Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development also confirmed that staff had been informed of proposed redundancies.
"Today, HUD started consultation with its people to make a net reduction of 30 positions from a workforce of 386," a statement from the ministry said.
"This reduction is in addition to 10 vacancies that will not be filled, resulting in a 10.4% workforce reduction for the Ministry.
"The Ministry intends to make final decisions on the proposed changes by mid-June."
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