Student numbers fall slightly despite feesfree
WELLINGTON: The Government has spent about $236 million putting more than 41,700 students into feesfree tertiary education, but total student numbers have fallen slightly compared with a year ago.
Europeans make up 71% of feesfree students at a university or polytechnic, and 79% across industry training facilities.
There are also about 4800 students who could take up feesfree who have not done so.
The latest numbers were released yesterday by the Tertiary Education Commission, showing feesfree enrolments to August totalled 41,700 students and trainees.
This was a 25% increase from the April figures, but well below the budgeted forecast from last November.
The number of equivalent fulltime university and polytechnic students was flat compared with August 2017, while actual numbers decreased by 0.4%, or 1174 fewer students — mostly from wananga.
Industry Training Organisation enrolments increased by 0.5% in standard training measures, but actual numbers fell 1.2%, or 1228 fewer learners.
This was mainly due to a 7% decline in industry training enrolments compared with a year ago, offset by a 10% increase in apprenticeships.
The Government praised the figures as showing the policy was tracking well, but National has called the policy untargeted, middleclass welfare.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins said feesfree might be stabilising the previous decline in enrolments for level 3 and above courses, which fell by about 5000 in the year to the end of 2017.
‘‘This has more than offset the large declines at several institutions, with an overall increase of 678 students on August 2017 figures.’’
He said 31,600 fewer students borrowed to pay tertiary fees from January to September this year.
‘‘The amount students had to borrow for fees also fell, down $193 million on the same time last year.’’
Europeans make up twothirds of students in university and polytechnics, but this rises to 71% for feesfree. For industry training, the increase is from 61% across the sector to 79% for feesfree.
Only 17% of university and polytechnic students accessing feesfree are Maori, less than the 20% of Maori who make up all tertiary students.
The majority of university and polytechnic feesfree students were schoolleavers; about 80% were 19 or under, with a further 11% aged 20 to 24. Females made up 59%.
In industry training, 58% of learners were aged 19 or under, with a further 18% aged 20 to 24. Males made up 93%.
A briefing note from the Ministry of Education noted the impact of feesfree ‘‘is expected to be limited’ due to interestfree student loans, with increases most likely in the medium term as learners and providers adapted.