Massive cuts in education in Australia

And we thought we had problems. Students in Australia held widespread protests against the government’s proposal for drastic cuts in education funds. The new rules allow universities to raise tuition fees without restraint, raise the interest rates on loans and lower the income threshold for employed graduates to start to pay back their loans.

According to the government, the rules will make universities more competitive. Also, the changes are needed to be able to keep up with fast-developing universities in Asia. The only experience that Australia has with this free market system, is with international students. Sandra Harding, the chairwoman of Universities Australia, warns in the New York Times that universities could match their fees for domestic students to those for internationals. Those fees are up to five times as high.

Critics fear ‘American’ practices, where student debts cause major problems for graduates.

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