WELLINGTON, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Financial support is failing to meet the rising costs of being a student in New Zealand amid tertiary enrolments reaching its lowest point in more than a decade, the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations (NZUSA) said Monday.
Ministry of Education figures showed that there were 353,000 enrolments in 2016, down from 423,000 in 2009.
NZUSA National President Jonathan Gee said that while part of this decline was due to demographic changes in the number of school leavers, "this was not the only reason."
One of the biggest drops has been in the over 40 age group, from 6.7 percent in 2008 to 3.6 percent in 2016, Gee said.
"By restricting student allowances for those over 40, the government has sent a clear signal that to these prospective students that they don't want to support their living costs while they seek to adapt to the ever-changing future of work," Gee said.
The decline in enrolments from those in the 20-24 age group also suggests that cost is a factor, he added.
A number of students have opted to take "gap years" halfway through their studies as they choose to earn rather than learn to keep up with the rising cost of living, Gee said.
New Zealand sits at around the average of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which is 42 percent, when it comes to 25-34 year olds holding a tertiary qualification, he said, adding that Australia, Britain and Canada have much higher proportions in terms of tertiary education participation.
