Fees-free tertiary education great news for all Kiwis

Fees-free tertiary education great news for all Kiwis

Every New Zealander will benefit from making learning more accessible, the Tertiary Education Union said today in response to the government’s announcement that Kiwis who have recently left school, or who have done less than half a fulltime year of post-school education or training will be eligible to study fees-free next year.

Sandra Grey, national president of the TEU, said: “We all benefit when tertiary education institutions educate students, carry out research and contribute to their local community. Whether it’s the mechanic who gets our car back on the road, the nurse that cares for our loved ones in their time of need, or the teacher that inspires our children to learn – the benefits of tertiary education are all around us.

“Public tertiary education supports economic and social development, with society and businesses alike benefiting from well-educated people. It is only right that we pool our resources to ensure these learning opportunities are available to as many people as possible - and that cost is not a barrier to study.

“Under National, the private good model of tertiary education sorted the tertiary educated from the non-tertiary educated by willingness or ability to pay. From today, whether you’re a young person figuring out your path, changing careers later in life, learning new skills or finding your passion, tertiary education will be a more realistic option.”

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