Wow all of your money goes to pay students, you must be the only one, and I am sure your private pension will sort you well.
That is not quite what I meant, as there are other services to which our taxes also go. I am not saying that I do not agree to our taxes going to fund universities. I do not have a private pension unfortunately, my not-so-recent pay cut three years ago at work, -15% and loss of the pension contributions completely (which means that during the last 3 years, the fees on the pension scheme that I did have, my 'pot' is currently almost negative, my statement 9 months ago said I would get £2 a week).
Some of the comments here are laughable. The rise in fees will put several people off. People could end up with £40'000 debt from Uni.
You say the raise put you off you Phd, well I am sure the £27k debt would have put you off going all together do you not think?
Yes, I was actually agreeing to that. It might put people off. However, it might also make people properly think as to whether they really need to go to university. When I left school, my father was basically in the process of loosing his business, I didn't have any savings, and I knew that I could not therefore ask my parents to subsidise my tuition. The degree I did, hopefully wouldn't fit into the category of a simple degree, in fact I chose it over and above a degree I thought would be more 'fun' purely because the fun degrees looked worthless and basic. There are some people who think that university degrees are nothing more than a chance to drink (I do not totally agree with this). As I did with my PhD, I had to consider whether doing the PhD was what I actually wanted, or whether I was just not-ready to join the working world.
Your comment about GCSE and A level is based on what? Sorry but you are typical. Kids do well, exams are easier and the teachers do all there work. When anything bad happens and kids do bad, I am sure you will join the masses in saying ho bad we as teachers are!
I base this on the fact that I was helping someone 7 years younger than I to do their A-level homework/coursework, and to get some more details, I had to go back to my early GCSE notes. Not just an issue of mis-remembering, it was there and dated.
So all students are idiots and protesting over something that cant be changed. What you all going to say when it is public sector workers next?
I think you may have taken what I and other have said the wrong way.
£27'000 debt, not including living costs. Why would that put anyone off? Why should anyone protest at that?
When I went to university, many of my friends left with almost that debt (~£22)
Our taxes bail out the banks, yet surely the money would be better spent towards young people getting free education.
Quite.
Now for what is possibly a political statement (so mods strike this bit out if you need to).
Personally, what I think would be fair(er), is if a student didn't pay up-front for fees.
However for each year of their tuition, and automatic loan is taken out, with that years tuition fees in it (and this loan is really at 0%, not the fake 0% some of them are).
Once they are earning, and over a suitable amount (I do not know what value), then almost as a PAYE scheme, the loan is repaid.
Those that do degress/FE which provides jobs in teaching or nursing/other required by low-paid jobs, would possibly never pay back the loan. (but this loan must be done in such a way that there is no stigma attached to not paying it back)
Those that have good jobs, like the situation I am in possibly, would have paid back their loan.
The money which we pay in taxes would then go into a 'buffer' and be used for the more bricks and mortar parts of universities/council/country services.
Actually this post of mine is veering off topic.
Suffice it to say, although I think that this 'riot' has managed to bring the problems to the attention of the masses, I do not think that the actions, even if they are by a few, are justified.
I don't know whether it was the same for this particular 'meeting', but when I was invited to protest against the fees when I went to university (which I couldn't attend due to lack of funds, and the fact I was actually learning things every day), a register was taken of who was going. This should have been used to ensure that the masses were in particular places, and to provide authorities with information for those that are not there to demonstrate peacefully.
We are a democratic society in theory. The violence should not be tolerated.
Emotions are running high for obvious and understandable reasons, but violence in this case is not warranted.
