Several weeks ago a report was printed [unclear: n] the Evening Post claiming that the [unclear: Education] Department had recommended a $9 [unclear: per] week increase in the level of the [unclear: Standard] Tertiary Bursary, Shortly after the leak [unclear: he] Department began furiously denying it had made any such recommendation. At the same time a memo was sent to Departmental staff forbidding them from making any comment on the truth or falsity of the claim.

However the Department's attempts to discredit their own proposal have failed. It has been unofficially confirmed, by a very senior spokesperson, that a $9 increase was indeed recommended. Below we reproduce a precis of the recommendation which has recently come to hand.

Objective: to Increase the Level of the Standard Tertiary Bursary and the Special Marriage Allowance

Following are the essential points of the document which outlines New Policy [unclear: Proposal]1979/80: an increase in the level of the standard tertiary bursary and the special marriage allowance.

This proposal originated in the Department of Education and was drafted by PJ Cottier, Senior Executive Officer (Exams, Transport and Bursaries). It received endorsment from D Garrett, then Director of Continuing Education and now Assistant Secretary (Tertiary).

The Cottier paper explains that Governments policy is to keep under review bursary levels for tertiary students and outlines the increases in those levels since the STB was introduced in 1976.

In other words, the proposal is for a $9 p.w. increase for the first two rates and an $18 p.w. increase for the marriage allowance.