“Interest on student loans sends the wrong message to prospective students and their parents about who we want to access tertiary education.”
NZUSA is also concerned about the recommendation to abolish University Entrance.
“Students want the certainty of having a target that gets them into a university. Removing it is not in students’ interest.”
Recommending that the Government should adjust fee subsidy rates over time to reduce subsidies (or pay no subsidies) is short-sighted and does not acknowledge the public good of greater participation in tertiary education.
“The suggestion that some courses offer higher returns than others is a big generalisation. For example, applying less of a subsidy to law graduates could incentivise them to work just as commercial lawyers rather than in community law centres, as they struggle to repay their student loan.”
NZUSA, however, welcomes the Commission’s call for better career education for school students.
“Good, consistent career information and guidance for school students is severely lacking. Improving career education helps all students from all backgrounds get a better understanding of what qualifications they need to achieve their dreams.”
“The Productivity Commission proposes deregulation to support innovation, but by doing so it fails to protect, let alone enhance, student interests in tertiary education.”
ENDS