8
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1994
OF APPLICATIONS. APPLICANTS INCREASED GOVERNMENT'S TOTAL
AND BY 180%
$280MILLION
THIS IS NOT BECAUSE WE APPROVED LESS NUMBER AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL FROM 14,000 TO ABOUT 21,000 OVER THE LAST YEAR. EXPENSES ON GRANTS AND
160% LOANS HAVE INCREASED
TO
AND RESPECTIVELY
THE OVER
SAID PERIOD, AMOUNTING
WE HAVE $444MILLION
FACTS SPEAK BETTER THAN WORDS. RESPECTIVELY.
OF SUCCESSFULLY UPHELD OUR POLICY THAT STUDENTS WOULD NOT BE DEPRIVED
WE SHALL CONTINUE TO ENSURE ACCESS TO EDUCATION DUE TO LACK OF MEANS.
OUR
STUDENT SPENDING ON POLICY IS ENFORCED VIGOROUSLY. THAT THIS
NEEDS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TO CATER FOR THE OF THE ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.
ON VOCAL TO
YEAR DESPITE THAT, WE DO REVIEW THE EFFECT OF THE POLICY EACH
LOCAL STUDENT FINANCIAL ΤΟ ENSURE THAT THE SCALE AND SCOPE OF THE ASSISTANCE SCHEME IS ADEQUATE, AND THAT THERE IS NO UNDUE HARDSHIP FAMILIES WITH MARGINAL MEANS. UP TILL NOW, DESPITE THE RATHER OPPOSITION BY SOME STUDENT GROUPS, AND DESPITE MY PERSONAL REQUEST THEM TO GIVE US CONCRETE CASES OF HARDSHIP, WE STILL DO NOT HAVE CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT
PRESENT
EXCEEDED THE LEVEL THE
OF TUITION FEES AFFORDABILITY OF THE AVERAGE FAMILY WITH CHILDREN STUDYING IN TERTIARY OUT OF A INSTITUTIONS. MEMBERS MAY WISH TO NOTE THAT IN 1993-94,
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, TOTAL OF NEARLY 24,000 APPLICANTS WHO SOUGHT
REVIEW OF SOUGHT A OVER 88% HAVE SUCCEEDED AND ONLY LESS THAN 3% THEIR APPLICATIONS.
GIVEN THESE
FACTS,
IT WOULD
BE
IRRESPONSIBLE
FOR
THE OF TUITION FEES AT
ADMINISTRATION TO SUPPORT A FREEZE IN THE EXISTING LEVEL FEES. I SAY IRRESPONSIBLE BECAUSE IF WE WERE TO FREEZE THE THE PRESENT LEVEL, IT COULD COST TAXPAYERS UP TO $376 MILLION IN 1994-
ALONE. 95
MUCH
HAVE BEEN OF THIS MONEY COULD
AFFORDED STUDENTS' FAMILIES. IT COULD ALSO HAVE BEEN INVESTED MORE ON MORE ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
GOVERNMENT
BY FRUITFULLY
THE
ΤΟ
THE IMPOSE
NEVERTHELESS, THE
IS NOT OBLIVIOUS POSSIBILITY THAT A SUSTAINED INCREASE IN TUITION FEES COULD FINANCIAL STRAIN ON THOSE FAMILIES THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN TRAPPED IN THE MARGINS
ARE WE OF THE STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SCHEME. THEREFORE, AS PART OF OUR REVIEW, EXAMINING THE SCHEME TO SEE WE NEED TO INTRODUCE SOME IMPROVEMENTS. BUT WE NEED TO TARGET THEM AT
RIGHT FAMILIES, THE
NOT INDISCRIMINATELY DISHING
FINANCIAL OUT
ASSISTANCE TO EVERYONE.
WHETHER
MEMBERS
MR PRESIDENT, THIS HAS BEEN A USEFUL DEBATE. I AM GRATEFUL TO
THE BUT, FOR FOR THEIR PERCEPTIVE VIEWS AND IDEAS. THAT I HAVE JUST STATED, WE CANNOT ACCEPT THE PLEA IN THE LAST PART OF
LEVELS. THE MOTION TO FREEZE THE TUITION FEES AT THE EXISTING ADMINISTRATION WILL THEREFORE VOTE AGAINST THIS MOTION.
REASONS
THE
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