Alliance supports Canterbury students struggling against $1000 fee increases

Wed Oct 6 1999

The Alliance is appalled that Canterbury University may have to increase fees by $1000 and is the only political party with a realistic plan to do something about it.

'Students should be able to study not have to occupy registries to protest at appallingly high fee increases,' Alliance Education spokesperson Dr. Liz Gordon said

'Students have real concerns that they are being forced to foot the bill for universities that have been underfunded for years.

'It is not fair that the costs of maintaining universities fall on one generation of students.

'These fee increases are an indication of what of what is going to happen across the country.

'We need many more skilled people in our workforce. At present the costs of a tertiary education are far too high.

'The National government has estimated that enrolments will increase by 15% if fees are abolished and every full time student receives an allowance.

'This means that at present 1 in 8 potential students are being prevented from increasing their skills because tertiary education is too expensive. This is a huge waste of a potentially highly skilled and productive workforce for business.

'If fees are increased by $1000 then even more people will miss out on an education.

'Only the Alliance has a well thought out plan to reduce fees. We will reduce fees over three years. If a student pays $3000 a year now they will have their fees reduced by $1000 a year.

'Other parties are either happy for fees to increase even more or are content with the status quo, that is not good enough' Liz Gordon said.

Note the National government when costing the Alliance's free education policy assumed a 15% increase in enrolments as a result of increased participation due to removal of fees and introduction of universal student allowances.

Visit http://www.alliance.org.nz for more information about the Alliance

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