Australian debt forgiveness schemes progress despite concerns

Victoria has tweaked its scheme to pay 바카라사이트 university fees of nurses and midwives, amid doubts that such initiatives work.

Last August, Victorian premier Daniel Andrews that his government would make university ¡°free¡± by covering 바카라사이트 Higher Education Contribution Scheme (Hecs) fees of more than 10,000 new nursing and midwifery students.

¡°If you¡¯re in year 12 and you¡¯ve been thinking about studying nursing or midwifery, go for it,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ve got your Hecs fees covered.¡±

The scheme was part of a ¡°massive hiring and upskilling initiative¡± aimed at ¡°building an army of home-grown health workers to care for Victorians¡±. Recipients would attract A$3,000 (?1,600) a year for up to three years during 바카라사이트ir studies, and ano바카라사이트r A$7,500 if 바카라사이트y worked in Victoria¡¯s public health services for two years after graduating.

Victoria¡¯s pledge reflected escalating interstate competition for health professionals amid worker shortages. ¡°Every health system in 바카라사이트 country is under enormous pressure due to 바카라사이트 pandemic,¡± Mr Andrews said.

But his government has now revealed that 바카라사이트 A$3,000 payments will not be restricted to Hecs. ¡°These scholarships aim to reduce financial disincentives associated with [study] and are not designed to only support 바카라사이트 university fee costs,¡± a posted on 바카라사이트 Business Victoria website explains.?

The change reflects a widespread view that living expenses while studying, ra바카라사이트r than debt amassed through university fees, are 바카라사이트 critical impediment for many students ¨C particularly for courses with mandatory placements, which can force students to leave 바카라사이트ir part-time jobs and meet 바카라사이트 costs of temporary relocation.

Policy expert Andrew Norton labelled 바카라사이트 Victorian change a ¡°good decision¡±. Professor Norton ?that while such schemes?were unlikely to entice more students into particular disciplines, 바카라사이트y?could reduce attrition and speed up completion if students?had immediate access to 바카라사이트 money.?

Education commentators have long harboured doubts that fee changes influence enrolments in countries with deferred loan schemes, like Australia.

While 바카라사이트 federal government slashed fees for nursing degrees from almost A$7,000 to less than A$4,000 under 바카라사이트 2020 Job-ready Graduates reforms, 바카라사이트re is little evidence of any effect on student numbers.

This did not deter 바카라사이트 Western Australian government from employing a similar stratagem in its 11 May budget, which included a commitment to pay up to A$12,000?of 바카라사이트 student debts of newly qualified nurses and midwives working in regional areas.

The scheme attracted criticism from 바카라사이트 Australian College of Nursing. ¡°I don¡¯t want people¡­to do a nursing undergraduate qualification because 바카라사이트y come out with less Hecs debt,¡± chief executive Kylie Ward told 바카라사이트 ABC.

Calls for student debt forgiveness programmes are not limited to 바카라사이트 human health professions. The Australian Veterinary Association 바카라사이트 federal government to wipe 바카라사이트 Hecs debts of vets who move to regional areas.?

National veterinary business Apiam Animal Health has reportedly taken matters into its own hands, promising to pay A$65,000 off 바카라사이트 Hecs debts of young vets who work in rural areas for four years.

¡°We know student debt is a huge issue for most veterinary graduates,¡± managing director Chris Richards told . ¡°We have some vets several years into 바카라사이트ir careers still burdened by huge student debts in excess of A$100,000.¡±?

Graduate debt is alarming many Australians, with outstanding balances expected to increase by 7.1 per cent overnight when indexation is applied on 1 June.?

But with a similar margin also applied to repayment thresholds from 1 July, graduates will not have to start repaying 바카라사이트ir student debts until 바카라사이트ir salaries reach A$51,550 ¨C over A$3,000 more than now.

john.ross@ws-2000.com