OUSA and VUWSA have put forward a petition to the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Education for a universal study wage for all tertiary students of $385/week.
The petition is part of a wider “No More Excuses!” campaign that the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) dropped on July 27. The campaign outlined three central areas of concern: giving Te Tiriti increased status in the Education and Training Act, giving student associations a voice in education policy, and implementing a study wage.
The study wage proposes an unconditional $385 a week, envisioned as a solution to increased student debt and dire living conditions. The payment would be annually recalculated to meet the cost of living, all the while abolishing the student loan and allowance system which currently finances most students' studies.
Speaking to the importance of the study wage, OUSA’s president Quintin Jane told Critic Te Ārohi how they planned to “reignite the conversation” about student well-being in Otago. Crucially, Quintin noted the importance of the “wage” tag to the ensuing debate, stating that it “recognises the effort that goes into study which is usually equivalent to that which could be spent working.” Hence why all your tradie buddies seem to be buying houses while your student loan puts you further in debt.
“At the moment, there are two choices for people coming out of high school,” said Quintin. “You either work and earn money, or study and gain debt.” Quintin argued that a universal study wage would “get rid of this question,” allowing more choice and increased enrolments in the currently stilted tertiary sector. Importantly, the study wage would replace the role which the student loan currently fulfills, a solution which Quintin pointed out is proving damning. He argued that “the solution should not be increasing how much you can borrow.”
The choice to study has more recently been an unappealing one according to Quintin, who said stories he hears are “almost always related to how hard it is to get by.” Specifically, Quintin outlined that, “Rent is getting really expensive… the value for money is also terrible.” He must have been a victim of Chocmaggedon.