Labour Extends Fee Increase Policy

Labour Extends Fee Increase Policy

Students are urging Labour to reconsider recent amendments to the Fee Maxima scheme and take action now to end unfair fee increases. Changes to the Fee Maxima scheme will see institutions given the opportunity to continue tuition fee rises and add to the hefty burden of student debt.

Instead of implementing changes that could deliver fairness and reduced costs to students, the changes to Fee Maxima will see it in effect become a Fee Minima, with almost all institutions increasing their fees by the maximum amount allowed. As an added blow, Labour has also reversed rules that made institutions decrease fees when course costs were higher than the allowed Fee Maxima.

“This means institutions with high fees shrug their shoulders at the government and do what they like. They’ve effectively been given licence to hit students in the pocket” said Otago Polytechnic Students’ Association (OPSA) President, Richard Mitchell.

“Labour needs to get real and attack the actual cause of student debt, rather than perpetuate it. High fees and lack of access to allowances are the key drivers of debt. Disappointingly, Labour’s actions on the Fee Maxima policy will add to the debt crisis, not fix it” said Mr Mitchell.

“There is no escaping the fact that the current level of tertiary funding is unacceptable and the government needs to step up to its responsibility of supporting the education of New Zealanders” said Mr Mitchell.

Students are calling on Labour to adequately fund tertiary education and bring unnecessary fee increases to an end.

ENDS

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