The Government says it's looking to recognise achievement with its plan to change the tertiary fees free policy. 

The Tertiary Education Commission says there's no discernible evidence that the first year free policy helped more low decile school students into university. 

The coalition's planning to shift the free year to the final year of study. 

Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds told Mike Hosking that rewarding people for just turning up created perverse incentives. 

She says the change is part of their agreement with New Zealand First, who wants to move the dial towards rewarding achievement. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

• Last year's free study "doesn't make a lot of sense" - Tertiary Education Union Secretary