Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has welcomed the Victorian Government's announcement of fee-free tertiary degrees for nursing and midwifery students, and called for universal free higher education.
Senator Faruqi said:
"It's great that thousands of nursing students won't go into enormous debt in order to get an education. That opportunity should be extended to everyone.
"Free higher education has the potential to transform our society, giving students a world-class education while ensuring no one is saddled with a debt sentence as they start a new phase of their lives.
"Student debt is skyrocketing, with almost three million students owing a record $69 billion as of last year. It is out of control and we should be wiping it, not adding to it.
"The Greens want free education for everyone, whether you are leaving school, changing careers, retraining later in life or looking to gain new skills and knowledge. Education is a right, not a privilege reserved for just those who can afford to pay for it."
