What the parties are promising on education this election

Education has ranked as a top issue for many voters heading into the 2025 election.

While states and territories are primarily responsible for running public schools (primary and high schools), the Federal Government oversees tertiary education.

Here’s what the parties are promising on education at the 2025 election.

Labor

20% cut to student debt from 1 July, which is estimated to erase around $16 billion in loans, affecting three million people.

100,000 free TAFE spots from 2027, delivered through agreements with states and territories, focusing on “high-priority” industries including disability, aged care, and construction.

160 new early childhood centres in “childcare deserts”, costing an estimated $1 billion.

Coalition

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Building 12 technical colleges for students in years 10-12. These would be specialist skills-based centres in parts of Australia with skill shortages and high youth unemployment.

Reducing the number of international university students “by at least 30,000 per year,” across universities with government funding.

Rolling out a ‘Ready to Read’ program, designed to improve young children’s literacy, facilitated by local libraries.

Greens

Wiping all student debts, cancelling the HELP and HECS loans currently being paid off.

Scrapping fees and parents’ voluntary payments for public primary and high schools.

50 hours of free early childhood education and care a week, and universal preschool access for all three and four-year-olds, to cost $29 billion over the next four years.