Victoria students plea for fairer fees
Student representatives from the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) will today present
Wellington Central MP and Associate Education Minister Marian Hobbs with signed postcards from the students of Victoria
University demanding low fees for students. “Fee maxima must be set at a low level as students cannot afford any fee
increases,” said VUWSA President Catherine Belfield-Haines. “The government’s tertiary strategy says we need greater
participation of Maori and Pasifika students - if they are serious about this goal, fees need to be set as low as
possible to encourage this.”
“High fees have emerged as a significant factor in the decision not to attend tertiary education, when participation in
tertiary education is already much more likely for the rich,” says Belfield-Haines. “Students from the richest schools
are five times more likely than students from the poorest schools to attend university. The student population at
Victoria does not reflect the wider population – access needs to be improved and cost is a barrier.”.
“Labour complained bitterly through the nineties about huge rises in tuition fees,” said Belfield-Haines. “Now is their
chance to put their money where their mouth is and bring fees down. This is crucial not only for current tertiary
students, but for those who will never gain qualifications while they are so expensive.”