Students to pay more for degrees

[davidc4430]

so, students owe 52 billion in unpaid HECS debts, my pea size brain says raising the cost wont help that, most likely make it worse.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-01/budget-2017-increase-in-degree-fees-amid-uni-funding-cuts/8485...

maybe the whole 'you only pay it back when you get a good job' wasnt so brilliant.

still i'm sure every time it gets more expensive to get a degree a whole lot of young people decide its too expensive and give up.

leaving higher education for the wealthy where it belongs.

[domino-710]

[tasfleur]

It seems to me that all this debt piled upon young people for education even before they really start their lives is appalling.

In my opinion, university should be free to all students who are determined and passionate about their education and where failure doesn't even come into their vocabulary because they really want to do it, and indeed, can and will.

Many uni courses now, it could be argued, are pathways to nowhere and meaningless in the long term, but for the courses that 'give something back' and lead to realistic futures and contribute to society and the planet as a whole, they should be provided as both a privilege and a right.

TAFE should and could be reorganised (also freely) for those students who are wanting a different way forward where they are talented and skilled in other vocations and professions.

In the long term, forcing young people into shocking long term debt cripples them and the society they have studied hard and long to contribute to ultimately.  It is untenable and in my opinion, just plain wrong.

[imastawka]

  Well said, Tas

[chameleon54]

I dont have strong views one way or the other regards student debts on uni.

What i do think is that society is placing way to much emphasis on young people attending uni rather than entering the workforce or taking up vocational training. For some proffesional carreers, uni is essential. I dont really want my doctor being qualified after doing a 6 month TAFE course or my kids teachers coming straight out of year 12, but I dont really think the girls working in the front office of my local council or child care workers really need to do four years of uni before being considered for the job.

If the bar was raised on entry scores and course subjects reduced to those of core importance to proffesional employment, I would be quite happy to see the taxpayer fund the full cost of sending our highest achieving young people to tertiary education. This would not be tied to family income. It would be based on the students academic achievement in year 12 and their potential to contribute to society through proffesional careers. We already have a system in place to adjust entrance scores due to socio ecenomic background etc, which would assist in encouraging those from dissadvantaged backgrounds to take up the offer of free tertiary education.

If the huge numbers of lower academic achieving students went into vocational training and employment straight out of year 12, instead of going on to uni,  it would unclog the system and free it up for those most likely to make best use of free, taxpayer funded, tetiary education.

[tasfleur]

Totally agree with you Chameleon, my thoughts exactly.

[domino-710]

Sadly - the Unis are BIG BUSINESS - and - I think - no longer - The Halls of Academia.

My one & only - has now been at Uni for 9 years - 2 degrees - 1 with First Class Honours.

Now in the final stages of her Phd - & - has worked casually at her Uni for the past 7 years.

Hearing the way they are going - is devestating.

In the past a mark - ie ATAR - of at least 60 was required for entry - this of course depended on the Faculty.

Uni's are now accepting ATARS of 30 - or thereabouts.

A student who acquires an ATAR of 30 + a little - is not cut out for University - they will do a year & fail - because they can't deal with it - not with those marks - not with those academic abilities.

But the Uni gets a year of fees - the student a fail - and - where does that leave them - the student - without confidence etc etc etc.

What is almost as sad is - this diminishes the worth of the degrees already earned - by the students with acceptable Uni entry marks.

Seems also - the degrees - are not even worth the paper wasted - where are the jobs.

[tasfleur]

I agree with what you have said Domino.    To add to it, it's not always students at school with good marks who are capable of university, there are also students who can be more than successful at uni than they ever could have been at school for many reasons, that has been demonstrated so often;  they also become high achievers later on.

You are so right about many careers not even needing to be taught at universities, but they are there because many unis insist they do;   the reality is no, many don't, but another part of the enormous problem is employers who insist employees have degrees to get through their door, required or not, and then have the nerve to not pay them for the equivalent qualification.

The whole system reeks of financial corruption from the top down and I have nothing in terms of what may be solutions to suggest at this time .......