The Federal Government today announced that fees for Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Communications degrees will increased by 113%, from $6684 to $14 500 for commencing domestic students. The proposal will also see a 28% increase for students studying law, commerce, business and economics.
This is unacceptable. Cost should never be a barrier to accessing education or deciding what to study. Students should not be funnelled into degrees that are deemed “job-relevant”. Universities are not job factories; they are places of learning and growth.
Students have been among those most impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Youth unemployment has skyrocketed and the number of students entering university in 2021 is set to double. Students should not have to shoulder the cost of this pandemic.
This comes after decades of funding cuts, deregulation and neoliberal policies by the Government. University education should be free and fully funded. We will not take this lying down.
Let your voice be heard
Contact Education Minister Dan Tehan and share our post on social media. Join us on Saturday June 20 for the Hands Off Our Education: Open Meeting to Oppose Uni Fee Increase to fight back against this proposal, and like UWA Students Against Cuts and the Education Action Network on Facebook to stay up to date!
