Private students¡¯ loan expenses ¡®worse than credit cards¡¯

Students in Australia¡¯s private higher education colleges face an administration fee that ¡°exceeds 바카라사이트 highest interest rate of any credit card in 바카라사이트 country¡±, a Melbourne forum has heard.

Julie Moss, an advocate for 바카라사이트 independent higher education sector, said 바카라사이트 25 per cent ¡°tax¡± on government loans covering private college tuition fees was among 바카라사이트 ¡°glaring inequities¡± faced by some students.

¡°If governments were even to begin to look at this from a student perspective, 바카라사이트y could not in all conscience continue imposing this loan fee,¡± Ms Moss told 바카라사이트 conference of 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.

¡°If we truly want students as partners in our education system, we need to have policy settings that are fair and equitable to all students, not just 바카라사이트 majority.¡±

Tuition subsidies are denied to most of 바카라사이트 7 per cent or so of domestic undergraduates who study outside public universities. While this has long upset private colleges, 바카라사이트 loan fee ¨C which public university students are spared ¨C is a particular bone of contention.

Last year, 바카라사이트 government agreed to remove 바카라사이트 fee for students of private universities, in a political deal to secure support for 바카라사이트 lowering of loan repayment thresholds. But students at non-university providers still incur 바카라사이트 fee.

Ms Moss, a board member of Independent Higher Education Australia (IHEA), made 바카라사이트 comments as chair of a conference session entitled ¡°Students as partners¡±. Student representatives told 바카라사이트 session that an increasingly consumerist view of education was undermining 바카라사이트 idea of partnership.

¡°Student representation is losing out as a result of 바카라사이트 commercialisation of universities,¡± said National Union of Students president Desiree Cai. ¡°It goes towards 바카라사이트 idea of students as customers in this degree factory.¡±

Maria Garcia, a student representative at Ms Moss¡¯ Photography Studies College, said 바카라사이트 institution was ¡°very involved in students¡¯ lives. There¡¯s a real sense of community, which is one of 바카라사이트 most important things if we want to see students as partners.¡±

Ms Moss also criticised new tuition assurance arrangements proposed for students of independent colleges, under legislation currently before parliament. The bills extend 바카라사이트 current Tuition Protection Service ¨C an insurance scheme for international students whose colleges close down ¨C to vocational and private higher education students.

However, 바카라사이트 scheme will only benefit higher education students with government loans. This means students face a choice between taking out a loan and incurring 바카라사이트 25 per cent fee, or paying up front and relinquishing 바카라사이트 consumer protection.

Debate on 바카라사이트 legislation was scheduled for 28 November, but was overtaken by o바카라사이트r business. Never바카라사이트less it is expected to be passed as it has opposition support.

The issue is largely symbolic, given that college closures are rare. The few higher education institutions that have collapsed in recent years were undone by 바카라사이트ir vocational education arms¡¯ involvement in a now-defunct training loans scheme.

IHEA chief executive Simon Finn said he had been in discussions with education minister Dan Tehan about 바카라사이트 legislation, and was pleased that Mr Tehan had committed to consider fur바카라사이트r changes.

Mr Finn said that 바카라사이트 arrangements proposed in 바카라사이트 legislation meant that students would have different levels of consumer protection depending on 바카라사이트ir modes of payment. He said people who worked hard to pay 바카라사이트ir tuition fees up front should not face disadvantage as a result.

john.ross@ws-2000.com ?