Students support government fee regulation

Students support government fee regulation

The New Zealand University Students’ Association (NZUSA) has greeted with derision the Vice Chancellors’ praise for the “responsible approach” taken by university councils to fees setting throughout the 1990s.

“In time that university councils had fee setting powers the average university fee increased by 211%,” said NZUSA Co-President Charlie Chambers. “If this is the responsible approach cited by the New Zealand Vice Chancellors’ Committee, then students and their families have much to fear from any fee setting freedom in the future.”

The Vice Chancellors’ comments are in response to a Supplementary Order Paper to the Tertiary Education Reform Bill that gives the government a greater role in the setting of tertiary education fees.

“Students associations have been calling for fee regulations for years – we’re glad that the government will again be involved in fee setting. Any move towards regulation however, is pointless if it fails to deliver fee reductions,” said Chambers.

“Labour should start by setting a flat maximum fee of $1000 as they promised to do during the 1996 election. They should then aim to decrease fees annually as part of addressing the student debt crisis,” said Chambers.

“NZUSA figures show that student debt has increased by 18%, or $2 billion, since this government came into power. The problems are far from fixed,” said Chambers.

ENDS
For further information please contact
Charlie Chambers NZUSA Co-President
Wk: 04 498 2500 Cell: 0274 86 86 73

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