Colin Long, the Victorian division secretary of the NTEU, commenting on leaked TAFE cabinet documents that make reference to Homesglen TAFE’s preferred model “premised on buying out the State Government’s ownership of the institution”. Dr Long questioned the real agenda of the Baillieu government being perhaps to privatise TAFE. He said many courses traditionally offered by TAFE have already been offered to private training providers, often with disastrous results.
“Rural or isolated students defer at a much higher rate. At Monash, approximately 60 per cent of all students who defer do come back to us but because so many more rural kids defer, almost half of them don’t come back.”
Professor Sue Willis, the university’s pro vice-chancellor (social inclusion) commenting on a recent report by the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria to Fairfax reporters, said the report found that financially disadvantaged students who deferred their university course were less likely to take up their university places than those from more privileged backgrounds. Despite the study showing that school leavers who have taken a gap year return and perform well, Willis is concerned about the progress of rural or isolated students.
Please login below to view content or subscribe now.