Queues form to buy textbooks

Press, 28 February 1984, Page 7

Queues form to buy textbooks

Long queues which formed to buy second-hand textbooks yesterday highlighted the financial at of University of Caniry students, according to their president, Ms Janine Morrell. Hundreds of students stood for hours to buy textbooks at less than retail price, she said. For some courses, particularly economics and accountancy, new textbooks cost to $55 each. Often several were required for one course. The queues were an indication of how students were struggling to cover their enrolments costs, said Ms Morrell. The students were facing textbook, stationery, and enrolment costs of between $lO2 and $ll7. The students’ financial difficulties were compounded by their search for accommodation and having to meet deposits and bonds on top of rent. The Student Services Office was receiving about 80 to 100 enquiries a week for accommodation, she said. The president of the New Zealand University Students’ Association, Ms Jessica Wilson, who is visiting Christchurch this week, said the assocaition knew of

6500 students who were unemployed during each week of the summer holidays. “With a bursary of $55 a week students need to supplement their income. The Education Department estimates that a student needs a minimum of $1660 a year, on top of the bursary, to get through,” she said. With increasing burdens on students to meet the cost of their studies, university education would be closed to lower income earners and Maori and Pacific Island students, said Ms Wilson.