ALA

TAFE NSW fees remain too high!

The Federal budget this week has announced little new for TAFE and no relief to TAFE students who continue to face high TAFE fees. Research which compared TAFE NSW fees with other states and territories was launched this week by the NSW Teachers Federation.

Linda Simon, Secretary of the TAFE Teachers Association of the NSW Teachers Federation, said:

“The NSW government increased TAFE fees by 9% this year. This was on top of an increase in 2004 of over 200%. TAFE teachers believed these increases were too high, especially for part time students, so we sought evidence as to the real story.

“The research clearly shows that TAFE NSW students are paying up to four times what they would be paying in other states and territories. All other states cap the total student fee payable in a year. The NSW fee is determined by level of qualification undertaken. This was signed prior to 2004 when NSW had only an administration charge, but as fees have increased, they are now clearly inequitable.

“TAFE NSW fees favour full time students, but over 80% of TAFE students are part time. For example a Diploma student enrolled for 200 hours over a year would pay $1,420 in NSW and $274 in Victoria. The NSW fee actually works against students who want to study flexibly, which seems a rather poor situation in this day and age

“The answer, however,is not to impose more on students by introducing HECs style loans, which are being considered by the NSW Government, but rather to recognise that it is the responsibility of Government to invest properly in our TAFE system, and keep fees low,” said Ms Simon.