Reading Homework - Putting a case for fee deregulation

Putting a case for fee deregulation
25/08/2010 (Wednsday) The Australia P26

Notes:

• education spending cuts in 2012
• financial needs of universities are a low priority for the government
• reliance on public funding makes universities hostage to the budget cycle
• it is reasonable for universities to charge students more
• letting universities increase fees is politically difficult

Summary:

Julia Gillard left the portfolio with real funding per domestic student lower than it had been when she arrived as an education minister. It is also a backward step more than forward step that an indexation system responsible for imposing real education spending cuts will be replaced in 2012. Financial needs of universities always are a low priority for a government during recently decades.It is reasonable that universities charge students more to escape the budget cycle due to reliance on public funding and to support students diverse higher education. However, if the federal government cannot provide funding itself, it should let universities take finanacial control of their own futures.

Personal reflection:

Being educated is a right for every people who lives in Australia, and the quality of university education should not be constrained by its low-cost model. If the universities can offer more high quality and diverse education for students, the price can be increased.