Dubbo students undertaking a range of vocational education courses will pay more from next year - with some courses rising by as much as 33 to 70 per cent.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The costs of some courses including carpentry and hairdressing offered by TAFE institutes will increase by about a third to $2000.
The cost of an aged care certificate will rise from $838 per year to $1440 per qualification, according to the schedule released for training courses and apprenticeships to be funded through the Smart and Skilled reforms.
Dubbo City Councillor Allan Smith said he feared the increases could increase the region’s number of unemployed youth but yesterday NSW education minister Adrian Piccoli said that without the reforms regional students would be worse off and additional funding would be provided “to ensure continuity of service to regional and remote areas”.
As he announced the 2015 prices and fees in May, Mr Piccoli said the changes followed an agreement signed with the Commonwealth government to introduce an entitlement to entry level training and improve training quality, which delivered Commonwealth funding of more than $500 million to NSW.
The Smart and Skilled reforms have already copped criticism from Labor and Greens parliamentarians.
Cr Smith raised his concerns the changes would particularly disadvantage young people in regional areas at the most recent meeting of Dubbo City Council.
Regional areas already had lower family incomes and due to their isolation, had to travel further for training, he said.
Cr Smith said it placed another barrier in the way of employment for young people.
He referred to analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics released in June that showed there was a 14.1 per cent youth unemployment rate in the far west and Orana regions.
The pathways for people to receive training were being eroded, he said.
The minister defended the reforms, saying under Smart and Skilled they were creating a simpler system with one common pricing system across all TAFE institutes and private providers.
“Disadvantaged students will continue to receive generous concessions under Smart and Skilled,” he said.
“If we scrapped these reforms, as the NSW Labor Party suggests, NSW would have to forgo $408 million in Commonwealth funding, leaving regional students worse off.
“TAFE NSW and Adult and Community Education providers will be given additional funding to ensure continuity of service to regional and remote areas.”
TAFE Western Institute director Kate Baxter also offered assurances to the community.
“TAFE Western is committed to continuing to meet the training needs of Western NSW, working in partnership with local government and local industry to ensure employment outcomes for students.
“Under Smart and Skilled, TAFE NSW will continue to offer generous exemptions and concessions for students facing disadvantage.
“TAFE Western is also developing a scholarship program for people whose financial situation may preclude them for enrolling in a TAFE course.”