Fees Free

Last updated

Fees free is a policy which makes the first year of tertiary education free in New Zealand. It was introduced by the Labour Government in 2018. It was implemented to reduce debt of students. [1]

Contents

History

Fees free was introduced in 2018 by the sixth Labour Government. It was planned to increase the free period from one year to two years in 2020, and then three years in 2023, [2] but it was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [1] In the first year, 47 thousand students and trainees had their fees paid off. [2]

Between the years 2017 and 2018, student debt decreased by $194.2 million. [1]

In 2019, the policy cost $254 million. [3]

In 2020 research found that students that enrolled in tertiary education only because it was free achieved lower grades than those who had other reasons in studying. They were also more likely to consider dropping out. [4]

The 2022 budget had $387 million allocated to fees free. [1]

Criticism

In 2017, National Party education spokesman Paul Goldsmith criticised the policy by saying that the policy moves resources "to the sons and daughters of the richest New Zealanders, who will go on to earn high incomes and can easily contribute to the cost of their education". [5] It has also been criticised by Penny Simmonds for similar reasons. [3]

People have claimed that people who use the policy are more likely to be able to afford the education without fees free. [2]

Related Research Articles

The education system in New Zealand implements a three-tier model which includes primary and intermediate schools, followed by secondary schools and by tertiary education at universities and polytechnics. The academic year in New Zealand varies between institutions, but generally runs from early February until mid-December for primary schools, late January to late November or early December for secondary schools and polytechnics, and from late February until mid-November for universities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tertiary education fees in Australia</span> Fees charged to students who attend Australian tertiary education institutions

Tertiary education fees in Australia are payable for courses at tertiary education institutions. For most domestic students, the Commonwealth government provides loans, subsidies, and/or social security welfare payments & benefits to relieve the cost of tertiary education. These benefits are not available to international students. Some domestic students are supported by the government and are required to pay only part of the cost of tuition, called the "student contribution", and the government pays the balance. Some government supported students can defer payment of their contribution as a HECS-HELP loan. Other domestic students are full fee-paying and do not receive direct government contribution to the cost of their education. Some domestic students in full fee courses can obtain a FEE-HELP loan from the Australian government up to a lifetime limit of $150,000 for medicine, dentistry and veterinary science programs and $104,440 for all other programs.

New Zealand First, commonly abbreviated to NZ First, is a populist and nationalist political party in New Zealand, led by and identified with veteran politician Winston Peters. The party has formed coalition governments with both major political parties in New Zealand: with the New Zealand National Party from 1996 to 1998 and 2023 to present, and with the New Zealand Labour Party from 2005 to 2008 and 2017 to 2020. New Zealand First currently serves in a coalition government with both National and ACT as part of the Sixth National government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Goff</span> New Zealand politician

Philip Bruce Goff is a New Zealand politician and diplomat. He currently serves as High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom since 2023. He was a member of the New Zealand Parliament from 1981 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 2016. He served as leader of the Labour Party and leader of the Opposition between 11 November 2008 and 13 December 2011.

Tuition fees were first introduced across the entire United Kingdom in September 1998 under the Labour government of Tony Blair to fund tuition for undergraduate and postgraduate certificate students at universities; students were required to pay up to £1,000 a year for tuition. However, only those who reach a certain salary threshold (£21,000) pay this fee through general taxation. In practice, higher education (HE) remains free at the point of entry in England for a high minority of students.

Free education is education funded through government spending or charitable organizations rather than tuition funding. Many models of free higher education have been proposed. Primary school and other comprehensive or compulsory education is free in many countries. Tertiary education is also free in certain countries, including post-graduate studies in the Nordic countries. The Article 13 of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ensures the right to free education at primary education and progressive introduction of it at secondary and higher education as the right to education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Institute of Technology</span>

Southern Institute of Technology is a public tertiary education institute, established in 1971. It is one of New Zealand's largest institutes of technology, with 12,579 enrolees in 2021 contributing to a total of 4,768 Equivalent Full-Time students (EFTs), 3,989 domestic, 933 International.

Inland Revenue or Inland Revenue Department is the public service department of New Zealand charged with advising the government on tax policy, collecting and disbursing payments for social support programmes, and collecting tax.

The Student Loan Scheme (SLS), introduced in New Zealand in 1992, provides student loans and allowances for course fees, course-related costs, and living costs to tertiary students who meet StudyLink's funding criteria. StudyLink is the public organisation part of the Ministry for Social Development and is responsible for administering student loans and allowances. Eligibility criteria apply, and courses must be approved.

School fees in New Zealand is a term referring to monetary payments by parents or guardians to their child's school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hekia Parata</span> New Zealand politician

Patricia Hekia Parata is a former New Zealand public servant, diplomat, and politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate change in New Zealand</span> Emissions, impacts and responses of New Zealand related to climate change

Climate change in New Zealand involves historical, current and future changes in the climate of New Zealand; and New Zealand's contribution and response to global climate change. Summers are becoming longer and hotter, and some glaciers have melted completely and others have shrunk. In 2021, the Ministry for the Environment estimated that New Zealand's gross emissions were 0.17% of the world's total gross greenhouse gas emissions. However, on a per capita basis, New Zealand is a significant emitter, the sixth highest within the Annex I countries, whereas on absolute gross emissions New Zealand is ranked as the 24th highest emitter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Hipkins</span> Prime Minister of New Zealand in 2023

Christopher John Hipkins is a New Zealand politician who has served as leader of the New Zealand Labour Party since January 2023 and leader of the Opposition since November 2023. He was the 41st prime minister of New Zealand from January to November 2023, previously serving as the minister for the public service and minister for education from 2017 to 2023, and the minister for health and the COVID-19 response from 2020 to 2022. He has been the member of Parliament (MP) for Remutaka since the 2008 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louise Upston</span> New Zealand politician

Louise Claire Upston is a New Zealand politician. She was elected as a Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for Taupō, representing the National Party, in the 2008 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Joyce</span> New Zealand politician

Steven Leonard Joyce is a New Zealand former politician, who entered the New Zealand House of Representatives in 2008 as a member of the New Zealand National Party. As a broadcasting entrepreneur with RadioWorks, he was a millionaire before he entered politics. In 2008 he became Minister of Transport and Minister for Communications and Information Technology. He later became Minister of Science and Innovation, and then served as Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Anne Genter</span> American-born New Zealand politician

Julie Anne Genter is an American-born New Zealand politician who is a member of the House of Representatives representing the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. Genter was elected to each Parliament from 2011 to 2023 on the party lists, before being elected as the Member of Parliament for the Rongotai electorate in the 2023 election. She served as the Minister for Women, Associate Minister for Health and Associate Minister for Transport during the first term of the Sixth Labour Government. She holds dual citizenship of New Zealand and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tertiary education in New Zealand</span>

Tertiary education in New Zealand is provided by universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, private training establishments, industry training organisations, and wānanga. It ranges from informal non-assessed community courses in schools through to undergraduate degrees and research-based postgraduate degrees. All post-compulsory education is regulated within the New Zealand Qualifications Framework, a unified system of national qualifications for schools, vocational education and training, and 'higher' education. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is responsible for quality assuring all courses and tertiary education organisations other than universities. Under the Education Act 1989, The Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP) and the Academic Quality Agency (AQA) have delegated authority for quality assurance of university education. The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is responsible for administering the funding of tertiary education, primarily through negotiated investment plans with each funded organisation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand</span> Government of New Zealand (2017–2023)

The Sixth Labour Government governed New Zealand from 26 October 2017 to 27 November 2023. It was headed first by Jacinda Ardern and later by Chris Hipkins, as Labour Party leader and prime minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Te Pūkenga</span> New Zealand vocational education provider

Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology is the largest vocational education provider in New Zealand. In February 2019, the Government announced that the country's sixteen Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) would merge to form the new organisation; the merger was effective on 1 April 2020. In addition to the polytechnics, Te Pūkenga also took over responsibility for industry training and apprenticeship training from nine industry training organisations (ITOs). Te Pūkenga's head office is located in Hamilton and with Peter Winder serving as acting chief executive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadow Cabinet of Christopher Luxon</span> Former Shadow Cabinet of New Zealand under Christopher Luxon

The Shadow Cabinet of Christopher Luxon formed the official Opposition in the 53rd New Zealand Parliament from December 2021 to November 2023, replacing the Shadow Cabinet of Judith Collins. Christopher Luxon was appointed Leader of the National Party and Leader of the Opposition in a party leadership election on 30 November 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "'$360m wasteful spending': Wealthy students benefit most from flagship Labour policy". NZ Herald. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "What are fees-free students actually studying?". RNZ. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 Hudson, Daisy (9 January 2021). "Government's fees-free policy waste, MP says". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  4. "Students motivated to enrol by fees-free policy struggle with university, research finds". RNZ. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  5. "Fees-free study for 80,000 next year". NZ Herald. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.