Students march on Parliament over fees-free policy axing

Victoria University students' association says first and second-year students will lose $12,000 in fees-free funding as the government ends the policy and allows 6% fee increases.

Students marched on Parliament in Wellington on 28 May protesting Budget decisions that will end the fees-free policy and allow tertiary fee increases.

The government will end the fees-free policy at the end of 2026, saving $1 billion over four years. Tertiary institutions will be allowed to raise fees by up to 6% for the third year running.

Victoria University students' association president Aidan Donoghue said "for many of our first and second year students, they've had $12,000 ripped from them as they made an informed choice to start their studies with a guarantee that at least one year of debt will be forgiven".

Donoghue said universities were likely to opt for the full 6% fee rise. The Budget froze subsidy rates for everything except basic foundation education courses.

The government allocated $69 million to double the number of secondary students doing courses at trades academies from 10,000 currently. A further $80 million over four years was allocated for secondary school curriculum resources, teacher training, and a new secondary school qualification.