If you've been paying any attention to student affairs, you'll know about the Student march that is currently going on in London. Tens of thousands of students and lecturers have taken to the streets today to protest against cuts to further and higher education for the 'Fund Our Future' national demonstration, jointly organised by NUS and the University and College Union.
The Government is proposing to triple Undergraduate fees to £9,000 as well as abolishing the EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) grant and ALG (Adult Learning) grant.
Even if the fees do rise, they aren't going to affect me but having literally just graduated a week ago today, I know how expensive University is as well as how daunting it is for people thinking of attending. The rise in fees is going to deter a lot of people. People that should have the right to go to University and deserve to do so.
The tuition fee rise is going to split the country into those who can afford University and those who can't and I don't think it's fair. Why should the next generation suffer and be denied opportunities of good Education because of this generation's debts?
Having just Graduated, I now face having to pay back my student loan and although it is considerably less than it could be in the future, it's still a daunting process and will probably take me years. If people are made to pay £9,000 a year for tuition fees, they are going to be spending even longer paying back their student debts, which could possibly lead them to falling further into debt and scuppering opportunities such as getting mortgages.
Although the students marching in London are all for changing the proposed rise in tuition fees, I'm being realistic when I say it probably won't change anything. As much as I hope it does, the Government will eventually do what they want and mess up this country even more.
Good luck to all those marching! What are everyone else's thoughts on this?
[Edit] It's a shame that a select few right wing extremists had to ruin things for everybody and take the focus off the serious protest going on, by smashing windows and starting fires in London. What's the point? Now everyone's assumptions about Students have been proved right! [/Edit]
it's made me not want to go to uni!!!
ReplyDeleteit's too expensive now!
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XOXO, BECCA
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I think it is sad that they are doing this (making students pay a stupid amount of money!), as how do we get our education !! At the same time I think this was the wrong time to protest, as it's remembrance Sunday ....and now the streets have been trashed. Those people (in the wars/ and still fighting) died and battled for our freedom and it seems a little disrespectful, I know they are angry but everyone is going through shit at the hands of the cuts. I do agree that everyone has the right to protest but like you said it's sad that some people ruin it with mindless violence.
ReplyDeleteI think that they should have protested next week after Sunday, I think people would support them more. Instead I think it has not really voiced the message of the really effect on student life (and the soon to be lack of students). I think people will now push the issue a side rather than backing students. People are losing there jobs etc so it's a tough time, I think if it had stayed peaceful and been hold next week it would have be reported about in a serious way. The way it was reported looked like 'typical students causing trouble'. I hope people will back students, as I want my son to have a right to an education whatever his class. Everyone is deserving of that. Great post xxx
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ReplyDeletei'm a fashion journalism student, so will definitely be following you now to hear how you get on in the outside world, ha :)
i don't agree with the new tuition fees rise, as i'm sure most students don't and i'm so glad they protested. those idiots who got carried away (most of them not even being students) are just stupid, but i suppose it does make the argument heard more, even if it is for the wrong reasons.
let's see how it goes... i feel so sorry for the future students in our country.
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