Student grant criticised

Press, 29 September 1979, Page 23

Student grant criticised

Universities, teachers' colleges and technical insti-j tutes should be allowed to; decide for themselves; whether their students are; entitled to hardship allow-’ antes. according to the l Christchurch Technical Institute Students’ Association. This is one of the suggestions put forward by the association president (Ms C. Clements) to amend the proposed tertiary study grant, “The proposed grant is inadequate in monetary and administrative terms.” she has said. A full-time student at the! Christchurch Polytechnic | could not hope to support i himself and cover travel and class material expenses on a, weekly income of $23. she said. A student seeking to supplement his income could apply for a hardship allowance of up to $l7 a week i but the way in which this could be done and who was eligible was still unclear

An added detraction of I ;the proposed system wasp that applications for hard- I ship allowances would beli ’processed in Wellington. !i j “We feel it can only he I I more beneficial to all concerned, and relieve the con ! fusion surrounding the hard-p ship allowance details, if I each institution is provided! with guidelines from the:; Education Department to i process its own students’ applications.’’ said Ms Clements. ! If a student was willing to I 1 jeopardise study and relaxa-l:

tion time by working io sup-’ iplemenl his income, the basic tertiary gram of $23 was re-: Iduced according to his earnlings. I “It is deplorable that a .person cannot train to join the State's work force be-i Icause the State is not willing ’adequately to support that’ . person during his training ’period,” Ms Clements said. I The association sought' I concise information on the: jeriteria for a hardship allow-1 lance.