Poor Students, Poor Access, Poor Outcomes
16 September 2001
The Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee report, Paying Their Way, confirms the experience of university staff- that students are struggling to find enough time or money to study. The report was released at midday today.
"Current levels of student income support are far too low", Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU National President said. "The low level of payments is leaving students with a choice between earning enough money to pay the rent and leaving enough time to complete their studies.
"University staff regularly report that the ability of students to devote themselves to their studies is being compromised by the need to work longer hours to support themselves. Staff who have worked in universities over a long period have seen the pressures on students get worse and worse over the years. This study confirms that experience.
"Paying their way finds that not only are more students forced to work, but they are working longer hours. Between 1984 and 2000 the proportion of students in work increased by nearly 50%, from 49.5% of students to 72.5%.
"Students reported widespread adverse affects on their study. 58.2% of students said that work adversely affected their study, including 14.7% who said it affected it a great deal. Assuming these results are representative, this means that the 291,000 students are being affected, including 71,000 who are substantially affected.
"We must do something about student poverty to protect both the quality and accessibility of higher education. The NTEU welcomed Senator Stott Despoja's support for increasing payments to the poverty line at the National Press Club last month.
"In the lead up to the Federal Election, we call on all parties to match this commitment to raise student income support to the level of the poverty line."