The Tuition Fee fiasco rumbles on...

• Guest 640

  • Registered: 21 Apr 2007
  • Posts: 7,819
  7 June 2011     07:13109149
  #1      
  There is a new report by a House of Commons committee hitting the frontpages this morning. However when I saw its content I noted with a kind of smug satisfaction that we have said the very same thing on Doverforum 6 months ago.
  
  When the Conservative government allowed universities to charge £9000 max they expected a handful to do it. But as was clearly expected by everyone but the government...all of them did it...all the universities did it. They all charged the £9000, or near as dammit all of them.
  

  

  
  
  Clearly the whole frontbench have never had a real job between them. None appear to have honed their sharpness nor their business acumen nor their business foresight on High St UK. No sir! Otherwise they would have seen this one coming, as it was glaringly obvious to one and all ( outside government) that all would go for the higher fee.
  
  Why the fuss, where's the problem says you. The problem is that the Government are forever blasting our eardrums about the need to save money and here we have a policy which is costing much much more money than before. It is costing the government £100,000,000 millions more. This is YOUR money of course. The policy was and is a fiasco.
  
  How is this happening? As we know the government pays the tuition fees up front to the universities. Students pay them back later in life at a monthly rate. The universities were charging £3000 per course before, they now charge £9000...so the government have to find three times the amount of money to pay up front. Hence the £100,000,000 million extra needed. I use all the zeros just to ram home just how much it is...yes one hundred millions extra. A chaotic and essentially stupefying policy.
  
  Time now for the Nick Clegg kicking section of this post. Nick Clegg who sold us all on the idea of no tuition fees at all, capitulated in spectacular fashion and went along like a minced lamb with this new plan, once he got a whiff of governmental power. His reputation has never recovered. If the plan was a good one you could understand his capitulation, but as we can all see now the plan was awful.
  
  Student numbers may now have to be cut to make up for the £100,000.000 million shortfall. A komplete klux!
  email: dover7@msn.com
• Guest 655

  • Registered: 13 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 10,247
  7 June 2011     07:38109151
  #2      
  There are too many going to University in the first place and with many of them are doing worthless degrees while racking up their debt. Many, of course, dropping out.
  
  The numbers should certainly be cut.
  
  It is secondary education that needs improved so children have a better education up to age 18.
• DT1

  • Location: Dover
  • Registered: 15 Apr 2008
  • Posts: 1,116
  7 June 2011     09:04109156
  #3      
  They're not doing that either.
• Brian Dixon

  • Location: Dover
  • Registered: 23 Sep 2008
  • Posts: 23,940
  7 June 2011     09:06109157
  #4      
  barryw,if people want to spend 9 grand on a worthless degree then let them.but i would prefer to spend 9 grand on some thing more senseable.
• howard mcsweeney1

  • Location: Dover
  • Registered: 12 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 62,352
  7 June 2011     09:08109158
  #5      
  it appears that the taxpayer is funding it all, clearly an ill thought out idea in the first place.
• Guest 683

  • Registered: 11 Feb 2009
  • Posts: 1,052
  7 June 2011     09:42109160
  #6      
  It does show a distinct lack of understanding of a business model! If you are allowed to charge £9000 why would you charge less? As the 'elite' universities said they were going to charge top dollar the rest followed suit not wanting to be seen as a 'cheap' (and, by implication, second rate) option.
  I am taking myself to the doctor later as I find myself agreeing with Barry that there are too many university places - another ill thought out policy.
• Keith Sansum1

  • Location: london
  • Registered: 25 Aug 2010
  • Posts: 23,948
  7 June 2011     11:34109169
  #7      
  PAULB;
  Yep we are heading back to the days where only those who are wealthy being able to go to such places.
  
  
  Then theres the latest fiasco created by this cobbled together govt, of the Welsh
  who will only charge welsh students £3,000 and subsidise the rest, but charge english students the full £9,000.
  
  
  Nick, make the most of your short time with this lot, the clocks ticking for you, time is running out.
  ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
• Guest 645

  • Registered: 12 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 4,463
  7 June 2011     12:39109177
  #8      
  Islamic groups have accused top Universities of complacency in tackling the number of people on campus expressing the sort of views normally associated with members of the Conservative party.
  
  Aadil Jabbour from Nottingham University's Islamic Society said, " I don't think they have been sufficiently willing to recognise the number of Tories preaching hysteria on their campuses."
  
  The Federation of Student Islamic Societies has identified 40 English universities where there could be a "particular risk" of people being recruited to the youth wing of the UK Conservative Party. He said there had been numerous cases of "people wearing barbour jackets", as well as "hate incidents directed towards the unemployed, the sick and foxes".
  
  Universities are engaging with student unions to try to deal with anyone who is actively engaging in making up statistics to back up their views on reform to the NHS or the benefit system.
  
  An Edited version from Newsthump.
  
  My number 2 son ,Lukas, has just completed his degree course in Sports Science and on Saturday flies to the States to coach 11- 17yrs at a US summer camp. I am proud of his achievement and in my opinion .no education or learning, is ever wasted regardless of whether its course in ancient Greek mythology or Aerospace engineering. For the life of me I can't see how a child from a poor background will ever be able to afford to attend university regardless of how talented he/she may be.
  Marek
  I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
• howard mcsweeney1

  • Location: Dover
  • Registered: 12 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 62,352
  7 June 2011     12:59109180
  #9      
  this will just lead to us importing more doctors, dentists, pharmacists and the like.
  
  not all students do media studies courses.
• Guest 656

  • Registered: 13 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 2,262
  7 June 2011     13:37109182
  #10      
  As most will know on here, I have two daughters at Uni, Briony with a further 3yrs to go at present with the option of yet another 2yrs after that, pending her decision on surgery and Saskia with a further 2yrs to go with the option of yet another year after that pending her decision on specialization. At present we dont know if the £9000 price tag will apply to them for the rest of their course(awaiting confirmation) but we do know that if they choose to go on with the extra years that it will certainly apply. This will most definitely affect their decisions to continue further so not good news at all. It will certainly make them think twice which is a great shame
  
  In my opinion, of course the government knew that by imposing the £9000 fee, it would result in most if not all universities applying it, these are extremely well educated, highly intelligent people making these decisions so I wont be told otherwise. Nick Clegg is a judas to students now, wherever I went recently whilst in London ,students campuses, their halls of residence and their rented flats were without fail, displaying a defaced poster of the Bad man himself on their walls and to right too. I dread to think of how much the girls will owe when they finish their education
• Guest 683

  • Registered: 11 Feb 2009
  • Posts: 1,052
  7 June 2011     14:37109190
  #11      
  Colette
  and assuming they get together with partners who have similar debts and then take on a mortgage etc etc....where does it end?
  It is frightening what we are loading onto the young.
• howard mcsweeney1

  • Location: Dover
  • Registered: 12 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 62,352
  7 June 2011     14:57109193
  #12      
  i thought that the rises were only for new students, would be ridiculous to change their fees halfway through a course.
  
  marks makes valid point, many get together at university and settle down together afterwards.
• Guest 656

  • Registered: 13 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 2,262
  8 June 2011     17:20109371
  #13      
  Very true Mark, frightening indeed
  
  Howard, I hope you're right but there are some rumbles to the contrary, will be keeping my nose to the ground
• howard mcsweeney1

  • Location: Dover
  • Registered: 12 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 62,352
  8 June 2011     17:38109374
  #14      
  i don't even think this government would pull a stunt like that, would be a lose/lose all round.
  
  students leaving halfway through a course owing money but without a qualification sounds a step too far.
• Guest 683

  • Registered: 11 Feb 2009
  • Posts: 1,052
  8 June 2011     17:44109377
  #15      
  Some students who are currently planning to go on to post graduate courses are having to seriously rethink in the light of funding cuts for Masters degrees etc. Christ Church and Greenwich universities have been springing up everywhere, perhaps they will be looking to Beijing and similar for the next campus site.