W.E.A. fee rise ‘little benefit’

Press, 25 October 1982, Page 6

W.E.A. fee rise ‘little benefit’

PA Wellington An increase of $1 in Workers’ Education Association correspondence course fees will not be of much over-all benefit, says its executive officer. Mrs Penny Eames. It affected only 1000 correspondence students whereas the W.E.A. had a total of 22.000 students, she said. The W.E.A. Trade Union Postal Education Service which caters for the correspondence students is separately affiliated from •W.E.A. . The $1 increase; has been granted by the Trade and Industry Department on hardship grounds under the price freeze regulations. The increase will bring the course enrolment fees to $2. but $4 had been asked for. This was ironic, said Mrs Eames, because when the Government axed the $140,000 grant to the W.E.A. it suggested as compensation that the organisation should, put up its course fees. Fortunately, most of.the W.E.A. branches had put up their fees before the freeze came into effect, unlike the postal - education service which had not had an increase for some time. Nationally, enrolments for courses were up this year, which was encouraging, she said. .