The State School Teachers’ Union said it was very concerned about the future of TAFE, after new figures showed fees were set to rise again next year.
The 2016 fees and charges policy was released this week, and showed that fees would rise across the board, including for Priority Industry qualifications.
The rises could add hundreds of dollars to the cost of a TAFE course.
SSTUWA vice president Samantha Schofield said the fee increases came on top of rises of up to 600% in some courses over the last two years.
“We’ve already seen massive increases in TAFE fees, which have resulted in plummeting student numbers and course closures,” she said.
“The figures show student numbers dropped by almost 9,000 in 2014 and we estimate they have dropped by another 7,000 this year.
“This latest fee rise yet again indicates that this government does not consider our TAFE system a priority.”
The figures also showed the maximum amount set for a Diploma course would rise again to $7,780. The fee cap for courses in 2013 was $1,252 (a 621% increase).
Miss Schofield said the union had held forums around the state to talk to students, staff and the community about the state of the TAFE system.
“We heard many stories about how the huge increase in fees has put extraordinary pressure on students and their families, with many struggling to cover the costs,” she said.
Miss Schofield said the full extent of next year’s fee rises wouldn’t be known until TAFE colleges released their fee schedules in January.
The SSTUWA has launched a campaign to save the TAFE system. More information can be found at: www.tafeworks.com.au
