What a strange way of solving the " education " problem. To implement " Gonski " requires a whole lot more money to be spent on primary and secondary schools, so to provide some of that the government has decided to rip funds out of the universities.
Not so long ago we were told that Australia's future depended on equipping our best and brightest with the skills to meet a competitive world of innovation. It seems we are now about to destroy many of the measures designed to increase tertiary education levels. The term " Robbing Peter to pay Paul " comes to mind !
Australian universities will face a $ 2.8 billion hit ! Few factors will escape this funds drought. It is highly likely that the end result of this financial assault will bring future years saddled with " unintended consequences. "
The government has decided to discontinue offering a ten percent discount to families that pay their HECS fees " up-front ". It is not hard to see the consequences. Less money flowing into university coffers at the start of term - and more pressure on universities to enhance places for full fee paying overseas students.
Anguish from those who were lucky enough to go to university under a " Start up " scholarship. The government has reneged - and will start clawing back funds by requiring those students to repay what will now be termed " loans " !
Universities will lose $ 900 million in grants. That is simply a demand that they implement unstated " efficiencies " and it will be up to individual chancellors how they spread the load across services - but obviously it will mean that some subjects will be dropped and class numbers expanded.
Perhaps the cruelest cut of all - is the capping of tax deductions for self improvement education - to just $ 2,000 per person each year. The low paid who struggled to drag themselves into a better paying job by increasing their skills have been dealt a body blow. Paying self education fees was previously encouraged by favourable tax treatment. The government is signalling that self education is not high on their priorities. Those that have completed their schooling are dumped in favour of better education for primary school kids !
In many ways this seems to be a retreat under a " class war " scenario. The government seems to be treating those with university aspirations as " Silvertails " ! It is a complete reversal of the previous trend to upgrade our educational standards to achieve a population with higher qualifications to make Australia a more competitive country.
What we see now -is a " dumbing down " scenario !
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