$54m for education providers hardest hit

A FINANCIAL lifeline has been thrown to English language schools across the Gold Coast who have been battling to stay afloat since the pandemic froze out international students.

The federal government on Friday announced a $54m assistance package to help independent higher education and English colleges hit by the loss of international students.

While applauding the move as “a positive start”, Study Gold Coast’s chief executive Alfred Slogrove says more action is needed to fasttrack the safe return of overseas students to the city.

The international education sector is a pillar of the Gold Coast economy – contributing $1.7bn a year preCOVID – and providing major flow-on effects to many industries and communities.

“It is imperative that we come up with longer term, sustainable and safe plans to return students,” he said.

Mr Slogrove said support for international education providers affected by COVID-19 border closures came after “much lobbying” and a recent visit by Education Minister Alan Tudge.

“The support measures are an important acknowledgment that English language schools and other non-university providers have been severely impacted by border closures and are worthy of targeted support,” he said.

“Providers are grateful for ongoing regulatory fee relief as well as FEE-HELP loan fee exemption for those few nonuniversity providers approved for this program.

“In terms of funding for short-course places and to enhance online delivery models, we look forward to hearing further details about these initiatives.

“The announcement is a positive start, and we look forward to further dialogue with the state and federal governments to gain additional support and accelerate the safe return of international students.”

Mr Tudge says private and independent colleges that teach university-level courses were the biggest winners, gaining $26.1m to offer 5000 more short courses to domestic students.

“Until the end of this year the government will also exempt students from paying loan fees on FEE-HELP loans and pause a planned increase in regulatory fees and charges for non-university higher education providers and English colleges. Together both measures will cost $17.1m.”

Mr Tudge also said $9.4m would be put into an innovation fund that would offer grants of up to $150,000 to boost the delivery of courses online. He said non-university education providers had lost proportionately more international students due to the pandemic than universities had.