Tertiary Student Support Package Fails To Support Students – NZUSA

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Tertiary students across Aotearoa New Zealand are disappointed by the Governments COVID-19 tertiary student support package announced on 14 April. Students are finding themselves in desperate situations due to the culmination of insecure housing, employment, income and study

“The announcement yesterday fails to meet the hardship needs of tertiary students. Not only does the increase in course related costs force students to take on additional debt, students are unable to put course-related costs towards rent and food costs, despite these being the main areas of student hardship” says NZUSA President Isabella Lenihan-Ikin.

She says, “students remain the only group in society that are forced to borrow to live during this period of uncertainty.”

Forty-four students’ associations across New Zealand have supported the National Student Action Plan on COVID-19, which focuses on implementing a Universal Student Allowance.

NZUSA President Isabella Lenihan-Ikin says “This is the time that the Government needs to ensure that students are encouraged to remain in their studies by alleviating the week-to-week financial hardship that students face. The Government needs to get real about the financial insecurity students face.”