Cost of living hurting students
The cost of living as a student is becoming less and less achievable, excluding people without extra support and costing the country skilled graduates, student leaders say.
Student allowances and loans for living costs were failing to keep up with the rising cost of living, and the number of tertiary students had taken a nose dive, New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) president Jonathan Gee said.
Between 2009 and 2016 the number of tertiary enrolments throughout the country dropped by 70,000 people, from 423,000 to 353,000.
In the same period, the number of Massey University students reduced from 36,125 to 31,501, while numbers at UCOL fell from 4154 to 3334 full-time equivalent students.
Gee said there were several reasons for the national drop, including less school leavers, but he blamed affordability as a significant contributor because it was putting higher learning out of reach for some.
Many students were forced to take gap years part way through their study to keep up with the cost of living, meaning they were faced with the choice of dropping out.
A NZUSA student survey earlier this year showed many still relied on money from parents to get by, on top of working during semesters and holidays.
About 42 per cent of 25 to 34-year-old Kiwis hold a tertiary qualification, compared to about 49 per cent of Australians, 50 per cent of British citizens and 59 per cent of Canadians, Gee said.
‘‘Tertiary education results in more stable work, better health over time, reduced incarceration rates and higher employment greater tertiary education participation is ultimately good for New Zealand. We can do better.’’
Student president at Massey Manawatu¯ Nikita Skipper said many people entered study assuming they could make-do living on the student allowance or loan, bolstered with part-time work while studying 40 hours a week.
But it was common for students to get part-way through their qualification, find they could no longer make ends meet, and have to increase their working hours to the point this interfered with their studies.
Apprenticeships were increasingly seen as a better investment, Skipper said.
Massey second year student Ella Sparrow said after basic expenses she had about $30 a week left, which was difficult but she could get by if she was careful.