Call for student bursary reform

Press, 24 May 1977, Page 10

Call for student bursary reform

PA Wellington ta It The Government has been c urged to fulfil the promlses s it made to students in 1975 ia about the standard tertiary if bursary. h It was in breach of their commitments it made top students in the 1975 cam- i paign. said the educationic vice-president of the Newt Zealand University Students* t Association (Mr M. Shaskey) t on •'unday. "Since the Government |i took office students have seen no significant improvements I in the bursary system and : they are getting anxious'! about the absence of any changes. ‘ There have been no adjustments in bursary values! to take account of increa.-ed ■ costs, the Government has not placed technical insti-1 tute students on the same' relative basis as university students, and there has been no appreciable progress with| the Government’s review of I the standard tertiary bur-r san." Mr Shaakey said all these 11 commitments were given by* the National Party “freely I!

and without coercion” during the 1975 General Election! campaign. "However,” he; said, “its subsequent lack of I action makes all its rosy : promises look like a cheap! vote-buying ploy that it never had any intention of honouring." Students were having real difficulty in making ends meet arid the longer the Government "dragged its feet” the longer students would have to make do with nothing extra. "The only thing it has done : is to convene a conference on tertiary bursaries in December, 1676," Mr Shaskey said. “The conference made recommendations for immediate interim improvements in the bursary system, pending the outcome of the complete re|view. “The Government has ignored these recommendations and has done nothing to get the review itself mov- | ing. Students are gravely ■ worried, and their worry is founded on a reasonable fear that the Government will do nothing. ! “It has done nothing yet,” IMr Shaskey said.