WikimediaIt’s a day ending in a ‘Y’ so the British government have decided to take their usual colossal dump on young people in the country, with plans to increase university tuition fees once again.
To be fair, parliament has to debate the matter first – most likely in August – so it’s far from a done thing and MPs could potentially vote against the proposal.
However, this hasn’t stopped some universities from advertising the higher prices already.
My own alma mater Durham University, along with Kent and Royal Holloway, is already listing its 2017 tuition fees as £9,250.
Durham UniversityFor the record, while Durham is a wonderful town, I’d recommend you save yourself a couple of grand and just take a day trip to the cathedral instead – it’s far better then the uni.
The government say that universities will have to prove they have high quality teaching if they want to charge the top prices, but lets be honest, what university is going to freely admit that its teaching is shit?
The proposed plans will keep tuition fees in line with inflation and would see prices rise to £10,000 in the next four years.
Enjoy the life debt! - WIkimediaCritics have slammed the plans calling them a ‘back-door attempt to raise fees,’ with the Liberal Democrat education spokesman John Pugh adding this shows ‘disgraceful arrogance from some universities’.
Meanwhile Sally Hunt, leader of the UCU lecturers’ union, said:
Those universities foolish enough to advertise higher fees will be doing nothing to quell concerns from students and parents that they are simply after as much cash as they can get.
In Durham’s defence, they do claim that they’re just providing clear and transparent advice to potential students, which is a good thing.
Artist representation of University accountantIf you want to leave now before I start ranting please feel free, because it begins in 3, 2, 1…
Speaking plainly, the proposed plans are bullshit. If the government thinks that bumping up fees again is going to improve education then they need to go back to kindergarten.
All this will do is create further division in our society by discouraging those less fortunate from going to university or moving on to higher education.
It’s a terrible shame because it robs academia and humanity of a myriad of different voices, all of whom have something to add to our collective knowledge.
It’s classist nonsense wrapped up in a glittering cloak of supposed improvement and I hate it.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.