04 February 2010
Why the arts will suffer under TAFE changes
Premier Brumby has been on a bit of a rampage in the last year, killing off our art with legislation that stabs at the heart of Melbourne's thriving art scene by abolishing government-funded places for TAFE students. Students with equivalent or higher qualifications are now forced to pay full fees, which many are unable to afford. This hurts the arts because many people study art when they've matured and come into themselves, usually after having studied and worked in another industry.
According to the government's skills reform website, the new TAFE funding structure will create ‘more opportunities for training throughout your adult life and flexible fee arrangements'.
But this couldn't be further from the truth.
In fact, many students will have to start paying full fees if they don't meet certain criteria. Essentially what the government is doing is opening the TAFE sector to competition with private education institutions.
How much TAFE costs today depends on which basket you fall into. Take my TAFE diploma, Professional Writing and Editing. Before the changes, government-subsidised places were a maximum of $877 a year or $55 for concession-card holders. Now, if you're under twenty or have no qualification at the same level or higher, fees for the diploma have increased to $2000.
Many will now be unable to afford TAFE, yet it provides practical skills that university doesn't - I should know, I've studied at both university and TAFE.
But concession-card holders are hit hardest - they won't be receiving any more discounts when studying a diploma.
As people usually choose to study art at a more mature age after having worked in other industries, the arts will suffer the most under these changes.
[Koraly has written more about the arts at Overland. Her website is koralydimitriadis.com]
I only found out about the TAFE changes because I was hoping to return to study graphic arts. I already have a degree but it's not one that sets me up for much of a career in Australia. And now it would cost a crazy amount of money to study at TAFE in Victoria.
My partner and I are considering moving interstate now so that I can study. Either that, or I'll take the courses much more slowly or not at all and try to do my best without them.
I have to wonder if that's what the Victorian government wants.
Do they want people with university educations to move interstate?
Putting aside all questions of fairness, the effect of these changes seems to be that fewer people will decide to study, fewer people will be as productive as they can be in their life, and some already-educated people might choose to leave Victoria in order to pursue further training. Is that what the state government wants?
Ella, Melbourne, 06 FEB 2010 19:09
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