TIME FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO COME CLEAN ON THE REAL COST OF A UNI EDUCATION
15 January 2007
Australian university students are paying on average 40% of the cost of a HECS place, with some paying as much as 84%, amounts far higher figure than those claimed by the Government, according to research released today by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).
“NTEU disputes the claim repeatedly made by the Government that the average student on a publicly supported HECS place only pays about a quarter of the cost of their university education,” said Paul Kniest, NTEU Policy and Research Officer.
“In a Federal Election year it is important for Australians to have a debate about Government investment in higher education and how much students should contribute to the cost of that education.”
“It is vital, however, that the debate be based on accurate information.”
The latest update of an NTEU research paper entitled Students Pay More: Universities Get Less, released today, shows that in 2005, the average student paid approximately 40% of the cost of their university education.
The Government’s own data shows that the amount a student enrolling in 2007 will pay varies between about 27% for nursing students to almost 84% for law students.
"The NTEU paper debunks the myths being spread by many about the cost of higher education, including Prime Minister Howard, who recently claimed the contribution government-supported student’s make to cost of their university education represented a ‘fair balance’ between their future earnings and what the Government pays, and that about 75% of a HECS funded place is paid for by the tax payer and 25% by the student.”
“NTEU’s analysis of the relevant data shows that student contributions have doubled from about 20% in 1996 to 40% in 2005.”
“The analysis also shows that over the same period universities have received less government funding in real terms to educate these students.”
“The Government has never provided any analysis to support its assertion that students only pay for 25% of the cost of their university education.”
“The NTEU is willing to publish its analysis and is confident it findings will stand up to any scrutiny. We challenge the Government to do the same,” Kniest concluded.
NTEU’s briefing paper Students Pay More: Universities Get Less, UPDATE III, An Analysis of the Funding of Government Subsidised Student Places at Australian Universities 1996 to 2005, January 2007, is available on the Union’s website - click here
For more information and comment:
Paul Kniest, Policy and Research Officer Ph: (03) 9254 1910