Graduate science and maths scheme falters

THE federal government has vowed to continue a $63.6 million program to attract more graduates to careers in science and maths.

THE federal government has vowed to continue a $63.6 million program to attract more university graduates to careers in science and maths, and high school teaching in those disciplines, despite only "modest" levels of participation in the scheme so far.

However, Michael Gallagher, executive director of the Group of Eight, the body representing Australia's top universities, has called for a review of the program and other such measures, labelling them "arbitrary and lacking supporting evidence".

The HECS-HELP benefit scheme was announced in the 2008 Education Revolution budget statement by then education minister Julia Gillard.

Under the scheme, some graduates can get their university fee repayments cut by a maximum of about $1500 a year if they go on to work in eligible occupations in fields including biology, geology and high school maths and science teaching.

Australian Taxation Office figures obtained by The Australian under freedom of information laws reveal that only 254 graduates applied for the benefit for the 2008-09 income year, the scheme's first year of operation. Sixty-four applications were approved, and $43,673 paid.

So far, only 405 people have applied for the benefit for the 2009-10 income year. Only 232 of those applications were approved, with $292,988 paid. Graduates have two years in which to apply for the benefit.

A spokeswoman for Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans said take-up of the benefit had been modest as "relatively few people are in a position to meet both the course eligibility and income-level criteria for the compulsory repayment of their HECS-HELP debt".

"A substantial increase in the benefit's take-up rate is expected over the next few years as the pool of eligible graduates grows," she said.

"We also expect that awareness of the benefit will increase as students who commenced their course after the benefit was introduced flow through the system.

"Current projections are for approximately 1000 eligible applicants in 2010-11 and 1600 eligible applicants in 2011-12."

The scheme's take-up rate does not equate with the number of graduates entering the designated professions, but experts say urgent action is needed to boost Australia's science and maths skills base.

The revelations about the HECS-HELP benefit scheme follow the announcement by Senator Evans last month that the Gillard government would drop science and maths from the national priority list from 2013, in a move that will push maximum fees for new students up to an estimated $8353 a year from $4691 a year.

The change would deliver $403.6m in budget savings over three years, said Senator Evans, who had science and research added to his portfolio in the Prime Minister's cabinet reshuffle on December 12.

Meanwhile, a recent federal government review of higher education funding recommended that students in all disciplines meet 40 per cent of the cost of their courses, with the balance paid by the government. The government is to respond to the review in the second half of next year.