Uni reforms to cut off HECS for those who fail long overdue

First-year university students who fail more than half of their subjects are set to lose HECS support. Universities and student activists will sob about the harshness of this decision, but as a university student, I support this type of tough love.

It prevents students from amassing gross amounts of debt without earning a degree to show for it.

And by requiring students maintain good grades in order to receive taxpayer funds, the government forces them to stop and think.

The fact is, university isn’t right for everyone and yet many students sink years and thousands of dollars into a degree they will never finish. These students would be so much better off in a trade or another form of employment.

First-year uni subjects provide a good litmus test as to whether someone is up for higher education. If a student isn’t passing first-year subjects, it does not bode well for the rest of their academic career.

Over my years at university, I’ve seen friendly faces slowly disappear due to the academic rigour. Many discover they would do so much better in a trade, but only after losing two years at university and accumulating debilitating student debt.

False expectations drive many students to enrol in university only to drop out. It costs students time, and it costs the taxpayer. The time is ripe for exactly this sort of higher education funding reform.

Dropouts cost the government and the students millions of dollars. According to the Grattan Institute, a student pays an average of $12,000 for an incomplete university course.

Education Minister Dan Tehan hit the nail on the head when he said, “these measures will ensure students can’t take on a study load they won’t complete, leaving them without a qualification but a large debt”.

The changes are also good for students who belong at university but aren’t motivated to be high achievers.

The phrase “Ps get Degrees” is often thrown around the lecture hall to justify a sub-par result. People often take their university education for granted, and cruise through their degree instead of pursuing academic excellence.

The fear of losing taxpayer support would drive many students to work harder and to value their education more.

Bleeding hearts should keep their hands far away from taxpayer funds.

Financial support should be given to those who can handle the academic rigour and are willing to put in the work for higher education.

Julia Kokic is the Policy Researcher at the Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance and a student at the University of Sydney.

This article appeared in The Daily Telegraph on the 13th of August 2020.