Taxpayers, including those paying tuition fees with FEE-HELP loans, can claim a deduction for self-education expenses that relate to the work they do. But graduates with a HECS-HELP debt can’t claim.
The disastrous experience of vocational education and training in Australia holds many lessons about trying to fit education into a for-profit market model.
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VET’s role in employable skill development is critical. But we also need to strongly support the role VET plays in getting disadvantaged groups into education and work.
Vocational education and training can help increase workforce participation by offering opportunities to disadvantaged groups, including women and people from rural communities.
April Fonti/AAP
A tussle between Attorney-General George Brandis and Solicitor-General Justin Gleeson intensified this week, and the outlook for their continued working relationship looks poor.
A new VET student loan scheme will aim at putting a stop to rorting by dodgy private colleges. Education Minister Simon Birmingham says the new scheme is being built from the ground up.
Will proposed reforms to VET FEE-HELP tackle abuse by private providers?
AAP/Dan Himbrechts
Under the proposed plan for reform, there is still a risk that private providers will continue to shop between the Commonwealth and the states for the best price and conditions.
A cap is a sensible option, but it must form part of a total redesign of the VET financing system.
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Loan caps are only a partial solution to a much bigger problem – declining public investment in VET and a dysfunctional VET financing system, which neither side of politics has been willing to address.
Uncapping fees for some degree courses is still an option.
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While the government finally ruled out full fee deregulation in its 2016 budget, it is still contemplating uncapping fees for some degree courses. Here’s what else is being discussed.