Between 2020 and 2024, new university enrolments from students with low socio-economic backgrounds have dropped by 10%, with independent senator David Pocock highlighting the detrimental impact of the Morrison-era Job Ready Graduates (JRG) scheme. This scheme, introduced in 2021, disproportionately affected arts degrees, which saw costs skyrocket to over $50,000, while tuition fees for science and mathematics degrees were reduced by nearly 60%. This financial discrepancy has created a segregated higher education landscape, where students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are deterred from pursuing university education, particularly in law.

Data analysis reveals that new enrolments among lower socio-economic students fell nearly three times more than those from higher socio-economic backgrounds, with a decline of 9.8% compared to a mere 3.5% for all other domestic students. Experts and government officials alike have acknowledged that the original intent of the JRG scheme, which aimed to encourage students towards STEM disciplines, has backfired. Instead of increasing participation in higher education among disadvantaged groups, it has had the opposite effect, making higher education less accessible and equitable.

Senator Pocock's critique of the JRG scheme calls for a revaluation and potential scrapping of the program, emphasizing the need for reforms that ensure equitable access to education for all students, regardless of their socio-economic status. The implications of escalating tuition fees and educational segregation are profound, as they threaten to entrench social inequalities and limit opportunities for growth and job readiness for the next generation of Australians. Future governmental policies must focus on creating an inclusive educational environment that promotes equal opportunities for all citizens, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.