The leader of the Labour Party, Andrew Little, today promised 3-years free tertiary education for students. The tertiary education could be a training course, an apprenticeship or an undergraduate degree course. It could be part-time or full-time study. Free course fees could be used at any time in one’s life. One example is a person who loses his job and needs to re-train for a different job. Mr Little said that his Party believes in life-long learning.
This policy of course depends on whether Labour wins the election in 2017. Mr Little said the free course fees would happen gradually. From 2019, students would have one year of free fees. From 2022, they would have 2 years and from 2025, three years. This means children who are 9 or younger at the moment would benefit most from this new policy.
The cost for the first year would be $265m which is the amount that the government would expect to lose from tax cuts which are promised by the National government. Under Labour, there would be no tax cuts.
Labour probably expects to win votes from students and parents with this policy. Some people say it is a bribe to win votes. However, course fees are usually only a small cost of being a student. Materials such as books, computers, and other equipment can be expensive while living costs for those students who live away from home are the main expense. Students will still need to borrow money for these expenses.
Other critics of Labour’s policy say it would be better to use that money to increase funding to universities.
To listen to a post on Student Loans and debt go to January 23rd 2016.
Vocabulary
• tertiary – third level (primary is 1st, secondary 2nd) e.g. universities, polytechnics
• apprenticeship – training for a trades job like motor mechanic, carpenter, hairdresser at a polytechnic
• policy – plan by a government
• bribe – an offer of money in return for something (often illegal)
• expense (n) – a cost, high or low (‘expensive’ suggests the cost is high)
• critic – a person who criticises, a person who says a policy is wrong
• funding – money to help universities to provide more facilities and staff
Grammar
Note: ‘would’ + verb is used for a possibility in the future; ‘will’ means something will definitely happen.
What is this about? : Labour Party, polytechnic, students, university
2. Who is this about?
The leader of the Labour Party,Andrew Little
3. When did it happen? January 31, 2016
4. Where did it happen?
the free course fees would happen gradually. From 2019
5. What did you learn from listening to this
It could be part-time or full-time study. Free course fees could be used at any time in one’s life. One example is a person who loses his job and needs to re-train for a different job
The cost for the first year would be $265m which is the amount that the government would expect to lose from tax cuts which are promised by the National government. Under Labour, there would be no tax cuts.