
The Education Lottery is an economic scheme which rewards Australians with higher education who can prove they have done their best to achieve a high degree.
The scheme is designed to encourage Australians to become educated, but critics say it’s too generous to those who can’t afford it.
The ABC has spoken to more than 200 students who have applied to be part of the lottery and they tell of the frustrations of trying to pay for higher education.
They say they’ve paid their student loan, applied for a job and are now faced with the challenge of paying off their student loans, which are worth more than $500,000 a year.
“There’s no way I can go into university with a debt of $500k,” says student Jadre.
“I’m not a student who’s going to take out loans just to go to university.”
Student Kaya said she struggled to pay off her student loan even though she had been studying hard and had been offered a job.
She said she would have to take a $1000 loan and pay off it by doing unpaid work.
Kaya, who is studying computer science, said she could not afford to pay back the loan and would have difficulty getting a job in the future.
In one of the biggest financial shocks to hit the Australian economy, there are fears that there will be no money for higher learning and many students will have to drop out of university to find work.
Students say the Government is ignoring the needs of the disadvantaged.
‘We want to be able to buy something for our kids’ “”We are going to have to find another way to make ends meet,” says Kaya.
Many students are struggling to pay the cost of tuition and living costs, while the Government has failed to provide financial aid for those who cannot afford to go on a student loan.
AAP/ABC “The Education Lotteries is a way of rewarding people who have done well and doing something for the economy,” said Education Minister Christopher Pyne. “
We want the Government to make the best of what we have, but we want to live in a society where we have an education and a decent life,” she said.
AAP/ABC “The Education Lotteries is a way of rewarding people who have done well and doing something for the economy,” said Education Minister Christopher Pyne.
Mr Pyne said there were no plans to extend the scheme to the future, saying the Government would provide assistance for people with higher debts.
Education Minister Christopher, a former Labor education minister, said he was committed to helping disadvantaged students, but the Government did not know how much money would be available.
It is unclear how many Australians have been enrolled in the lottery.
But the government has indicated it will extend the programme to help students who cannot attend university and for those currently studying in other universities.
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