Uni Could Be Free Post-Covid19, Says The Education Minister

Education minister Dan Tehan isn’t ruling out making entire university courses free as an incentive to get people into education.

Currently, a number of vocational courses are available at a discounted cost for the first six months to help support those who have lost their jobs during the pandemic. 

Speaking to news podcast The Briefing, the education minister confirmed the Government could review expanding these discounts if they prove successful.

 “If it has proven to be beneficial and we do see that it’s getting people focused in the areas that we have skill shortages - then that’s something that we’d be happy to review and look at.”

 There have been calls from The Greens  to make education free for years and leader Adam Bandt says there’s even more need for free education right now:

“It’s going to be particularly important because of the Covonavirus crisis which is hitting young people really hard. Before covid19 nearly one in three young people didn’t have a job or didn’t have enough hours of work and that I think is a national crisis.”

Listen to the ep here: 

Catch The Briefing on Podcast One daily, or wherever you get your podcasts.