The "Privilege" of Education

As a student: defined in my mind as someone who treats varsity as a full time job and spends many extra hours doing assignments, making notes etc in the Library and other places, not spending hours in the cafe on "coffee breaks" and at Studass meetings; I am very much aware of the possible consequences of any cutbacks in education. Conversly I am also very much aware of the amount of money the government is putting into my education.

A varsity education is a Privilege not a right and so we should be very aware of the responsibilities which go with it. Only a small percentage of New Zealanders, through our exam system qualify academically to receive this privilege. The Government has attempted to make this privilege easier to accept be giving many students a Gift called STB for which we should be grateful. At no time was this said to be a living allowance, and we should not expect such, unless of course we are quite pre-pared for all the tax-payers to Day increased taxes to finance this.

If a whittling out of those bludgers on STB who are not "students" was effected, so watch out Lindy Cassidy the supporters of your meetings might have to start paying to come to your meetings tut-tut, then the education bill would be substantially reduced.

Let's support the claims of secondary and primary schools so as the majority of the school age population can get the basic education which is the right of all children, remember it's IYC. Those of us who made varsity are more likely to have it made on our own, than the other 75% who are also in the class at the local high school where there aren't enough teachers to go round.

It is democracy and the basic rights which-are the battle cry of our Studass, fantastic I support that. But did anyone stop to think that the most undemocratic facet of our society is the union, including studass. A "democratic" organisation with compulsory membership is no democracy at all. It would make the lot of the student easier if the cost of our varisty education was reduced by $43.

With regard to overseas students, I in no way support my meagre tax contribution being used to pay for the education of some foreigner, whose sole aim is to get a degree and then return to his/ her home country, what a wasted investment for New Zealanders money. Too bloody right they should pay to come to our universities.

Fortunately my ACCY 101 commitments prevent me from marching for the well being of our poverty striken varsity students - Shame.