Student Demonstrations

[Rufus Gwertigan]

well well Retardo, we meet again!

i didnt mention EMA, i think EMA is a really good scheme as a lot of people i know depended on it

i'm talking purely about the rise in tuition fees, which you seem to have completely ignored

[gratedenini]

I can only offer a very general view to these Tuition Fee thing cos I dont have enough knowledge..so---as I read it... you go to Uni..you accumulate debt (does everybody have to do this?).. you leave Uni and if you get a job.. you start to pay some money back?

But only if its a "good" job..and even then its only a % of the initial loan?

if I`m reading this correctly.. I dont see the problem. As I repeat every two weeks on here... people expect too much now.

My daughter is at Uni now...she tells me she gets a bursary for this and some money for that... from what i can see-- it looks ok to me.

Money has to come from somewhere and I dont think it unreasonable in todays world that if you gain employment via an education paid for by the taxpayer--then you should pay some back.

Excuse me if I`ve got this wrong..and if so--can someone give examples please.

Rufus T Firefly has some sort of basic point imo.... people need to protest..its part of being in a democracy... but it seems like nowadays,if yer dont see a bit of aggro, its not worth walking out of school for.

The media in general make my cringe now. Everything is invasive and seemingly more biased for sensationalism... but... its only grown out of our need for it.

TV is different, with all these reality shows and fly on the wall docus.

Theres not a night when you cant see a show of this ilk...and to me--it all adds up towards this soceity we are in now.

There was a bloke on Newsnight.. a student (older).. a proper interlectual.. corduroy troos and checky jumper--y`know the type..he`d def be the captain of any University Challenge team. He was studying some sort obscure subject.

The Pax got into his ribs when his arguement was that his education should be completely paid for.

Pax asked him what "good" he would bring to the country after completing this long education.. the answer of course was nothing.

I think there is a point here.

Nobody paid for me to be trained as a Waster. Its all been self-funded and stolen... why should others be funded to become the same as me?

den

[gratedenini]

I don't think education should be thought of as a luxury. Why shouldn't it be free? It might as well be free for those who can afford it, so it's unblanced, and carrying on the way it looks, will be back to being exclusive to those who can afford it. I don't think that's right

Yes, I mean dont get me wrong. I`ve always been at the somewhat lower end of the spectrum (financially)...and I agree that education shouldn`t be a luxury... but look--its not the education thats the problem.Its the paying of.

Do you not agree that if due to this education, you get a job paying 50k or something... then its right and proper that you pay a percentage back? I hate unfairness--but I dont think that is unfair.

most of that won't be available

you pays your money and you takes your choice. I never watch any of it. If you keep watching it knowing how crap it is, you need to do something about it.

I actually dont watch it--but I am aware of it and see how much it seems to grip the nation..and i base my statement on that.

yes, he was stupid

(a proper intelectual..?)

did you see him. Fair play to someone who wants to do stuff like that,and he did seem passionate...but these folk always seem to be a million miles from reality dont they?

[funkymp]

http://www.politicshome.com/documents/articles/CleggLetter.pdf

clegg letter to nus dude makes some good points

[gratedenini]

I get that... isn't that what this is all about?

like taxes..??

it's unfair because some people will be able to pay back the fees much easier than others... it will always be unfair. The rise in fees makes it more so

no, I didn't see it

I'm not sure what you mean by 'these folk'...

[amfy]

I think the problem with the system being proposed is that it takes little account of the earning potenatial offered by different degrees.

If you go for a teaching or social work degree, you won't be earning as much as someone who takes a degree which will take them into the more lucrative commercial sector.

I appreciate that you don't start paying it back until you earn a certain amount, and then you pay at a percentage, but surely that means that someone in a high earning job has the abilty to pay it off more quickly and get on with enjoying their university generated wealth a fair bit earlier? On the other hand someone for example holding a family together on say £25,000 a year could be paying about £150/month out for quite a bit longer.

Personally, I think I'd go for a graduate tax. An extra 1p in the pound on everything you earn over a certain amount (setting that somewhere around where they are setting the repayment start now I'd guess - £20-£25k?). Although it still amounts to repayments, it doesn't have the feel of a debt, and the thought of it wouldn't be as offputting to anyone contemplating univesity. Most importantly, you pay to the extent you benefit from your degree, not a one size fits all fee.

I had a free education, but I wouldn't even mind them doing this retrospectively and re-catagorising my tax bracket now, because I think it's fair.

I have heard that this system is too difficult to adminstrate. I'm not sure why. It wouldn't be because politicians would end up paying back quite a lot would it?

[Alcatraz]

Welsh students to be subsidised

[Lil' Nick]

Welsh students to be subsidised

Edited November 30, 2010 by Lil' Nick

[LondonTom]

I had a free education, but I wouldn't even mind them doing this retrospectively and re-catagorising my tax bracket now, because I think it's fair.

I have heard that this system is too difficult to adminstrate. I'm not sure why. It wouldn't be because politicians would end up paying back quite a lot would it?

[funkymp]

f**king hel

Edited December 1, 2010 by funkymp

[amfy]

Of course with that, what do with those students who have been paying fees since they were introduced?

[funkymp]

I didn't hear any reference to kids starving in Africa...

Edited December 1, 2010 by funkymp

[eFestivals]

Anyway - it's not my job to sort out the details - what do we pay these people for?! I'm just an ideas person!

It's "ideas people" who are the whole frigging problem in the first place. No offence meant.

It's people coming up with stupid ideas without the knowledge to have a good idea in the first place - but with the power to make their stupid ideas happen which has got us here.

[eFestivals]

anyways, why the hell are they protesting now and didn't do so 12 years ago (beleive its 12 years ago?) when labour decided it would no longer be free... saying that, did they? anyone know?

edit: only mention that, because of the amount of times they've said 'it should be free!' and kicking up a fuss about it, why now and not back then? whole education system at uni has been screwed over for years.

the majority of students posting on these forums when fees were coming in were in favour of them.

Sad, but true.

[lost]

anyways, why the hell are they protesting now and didn't do so 12 years ago (beleive its 12 years ago?) when labour decided it would no longer be free... saying that, did they? anyone know?

[lifelessfool]

I think it's good that a group are actually doing something about cuts rather than just sitting about and saying "oh isn't that terrible." I've spent a couple of nights sleeping in an occupation and theres a really nice and productive atmosphere thats not causing any disruption to the every day runnings of the university. Also I think the police handling of some of the protests has been ridiculous.

[rabid]

I think it's good that a group are actually doing something about cuts rather than just sitting about and saying "oh isn't that terrible." I've spent a couple of nights sleeping in an occupation and theres a really nice and productive atmosphere thats not causing any disruption to the every day runnings of the university. Also I think the police handling of some of the protests has been ridiculous.

[rabid]

well, they can't win, can they?

criticised for being violent, criticised for being passive....

what are you doing?

[rabid]

sorry

[funkymp]

the majority of students posting on these forums when fees were coming in were in favour of them.

Sad, but true.

[eFestivals]

Really? things change eh? Maybe it's because the Tories are in charge now and not Labour...

It wasn't that.

The numpties actually believed that if they were paying fees, there would be more money put into the courses - it completely sailed over their heads that they'd be paying the fees so that the govt didn't have to.

[lifelessfool]

That's sticking it to 'em. They wont be able to ignore that!

[Alcatraz]

There was a bit I was at uni at the time but it was very muted, there was an accusation going round which I remember being repeated in the student newspaper that those high up in the NUS didn't want to rock the boat and put at risk a potential future career in the labour party.

[llcoolphil]

I think it's good that a group are actually doing something about cuts rather than just sitting about and saying "oh isn't that terrible." I've spent a couple of nights sleeping in an occupation and theres a really nice and productive atmosphere thats not causing any disruption to the every day runnings of the university. Also I think the police handling of some of the protests has been ridiculous.

[llcoolphil]

I think it's good that a group are actually doing something about cuts rather than just sitting about and saying "oh isn't that terrible." I've spent a couple of nights sleeping in an occupation and theres a really nice and productive atmosphere thats not causing any disruption to the every day runnings of the university. Also I think the police handling of some of the protests has been ridiculous.