Story perspectives

Low-SES Student Enrolments Plummet Amid Education Policy Critique

2/19/2026

Summary

Story summary

Enrolments from low-socioeconomic backgrounds in Australia fell 10% from 2020 to 2024.
David Pocock (independent senator) criticized the Job Ready Graduates (JRG) scheme, introduced in 2021, for creating segregation in higher education.
The Innovative Research Universities (IRU) reported enrolments in law and commerce dropped 17.7% among low-SES students.
The government plans to establish the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) to balance costs for students, but concerns remain about its effectiveness.

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Story summary

Enrolments from low-socioeconomic backgrounds in Australia fell 10% from 2020 to 2024.
David Pocock (independent senator) criticized the Job Ready Graduates (JRG) scheme, introduced in 2021, for creating segregation in higher education.
The Innovative Research Universities (IRU) reported enrolments in law and commerce dropped 17.7% among low-SES students.
The government plans to establish the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) to balance costs for students, but concerns remain about its effectiveness.