The pre-Christmas news that five full-time plus casual and part time staff will lose their jobs is a slap in the face for all concerned.

It couldn’t have come at a worse time for hardworking staff, worried about their future for several months.

They have been set impossible income targets in an environment that mitigates against heavy advertising of their service.

The government’s Smart and Skilled program has also conspired against the centre and the Goulburn campus as a whole.

The so-called reforms have effectively privatised vocational education training and cut the number of courses and students at the once proud educational institution.

The result is fewer childcare enrolments.

Instead, the service has cast its net wider into the community to remain viable.

Now, this is the very excuse TAFE uses to close the centre; that it is no longer a core function and runs at a loss.

One could be forgiven for thinking it’s been set up to fail.

No matter that the service is exceeding in all areas of National Quality Standards for early childcare delivery, the only centre in town to achieve the top rating.

No matter that staff have over 70 years’ experience between them.

With a bit of forward thinking, TAFE could turn the service into an opportunity.

In the State’s privatisation bent for education, why is it so intent on closing this centre?

Let’s not forget that it is also a training venue for Diploma students in Early Childhood. TAFE seems to be cutting off its nose to spite its face.

The campus itself is becoming a shell of its former self with numerous vacant buildings and fewer courses on offer.

Student numbers have plummeted by 83,000 across the State in the past three years, the Sydney Morning Herald reported in June.

“Enrolments in 2015 reflect a lower than expected market response to Smart and Skilled reforms in the transitional stage since its start in January 2015,” the budget papers stated.

The government was expecting a bounce in numbers. In low socio-economic regions like Goulburn, it’s questionable whether this will happen given higher course fees.

Once an affordable option for post-secondary education, TAFE is now beyond the reach of many.

Locally, nine of the original 14 teaching schools have gone, wiped out through cuts and relocations.

The loss of a further five jobs in Goulburn will be keenly felt. Surely it’s time to stop the rot.

Goulburn MP Pru Goward’s response is disappointing to say the least.