The Government is not going to change interest-free student loans, Prime Minister John Key said today after Labour and student unions questioned National's commitment to the policy.Labour MP Grant Roberston said National had always been worried about the
The Government is not going to change interest-free student loans, Prime Minister John Key said today after Labour and student unions questioned National's commitment to the policy.
Labour MP Grant Roberston said National had always been worried about the liabilities of the scheme and the recent appointment of Steven Joyce as Tertiary Education Minister could be significant because he was National's "number one strategist".
New Zealand Union of Students' Associations co-president, David Do, referred to comments Mr Key made earlier today about the possibility of "improving" the scheme and said any re-introduction of interest on student loans would be a broken promise to students.
"We call on the prime minister to reaffirm his promise," Mr Do said.
Mr Key did that at a press conference.
"Zero percent loans are staying," he said.
"At the margins, at the boundaries, there are specific issues where, as I understand it, the universities and the student associations have been having some discussions. But zero percent loans remain."
