‘New students, next year’s on us’

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has reaffirmed a campaign commitment to young people on her first day of the job: They can study next year for free.

Labour’s three years-free policy would eventually grant three full years of free post-secondary study whether that be at a university or on another course - to anyone who had not studied before.

On the campaign trail, Ardern flagged the first year of free study as being in 2018. The second year would kick in for 2021, and the third 2024.

Yesterday, as a crowd of young people chanted behind her, Ardern said prospective students could start planning their free year of study with certainty now.

‘‘We’re committed to that policy, absolutely,’’ Ardern said.

‘‘We knew it would come with some difficulties rolling it out immediately. It’s possible but we will need to work quickly within the first 100 days.’’

Officials were already working on advice about the options to get it done that quickly.

New Education Minister Chris Hipkins didn’t want to comment before having seen the advice, but said he would update media on the plan early next week.

Labour also promised a $50 increase to student allowances and student loan living costs, as well as restoring eligibility for the student allowance to postgraduate students and those studying courses such as medicine.

To be eligible for a second year of free study - which won’t be available until 2021 - students would need to pass more than half of their courses in the first year.

Labour’s pre-election costings, which were verified by BERL, put the cost of the policy at $340 million per year, along with $270m per year for the boosts to student support.

On the campaign trail, outgoing tertiary education minister Paul Goldsmith described the policy as a far too expensive.

‘‘It isn’t fair to ask hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders, who haven’t had the benefit of tertiary education, to pay more in taxes just to support those who do.’’ long