Student Fees Increase

Chances are that if you're currently living in England you've heard about the Conservatives plan to raise student tuition fees. This announcement came just months after the Conservatives formed a "coalition" government, an amalgamation of two government parties when an election is tied, and led to an uproar amongst students and teachers alike.

Universities in the UK are currently restricted on what they can charge with £3,290 being the maximum. For many students, the government will pay tuition fees for them until a student graduates and is in full-time employment and earning above £15,000 a year when a certain percentage of their income will be taken to pay back the tuition fee debt. However, the new proposals by the Conservative party mean that universities will be able to charge up to £9000 a year and government funding may not cover all this cost, as it currently does.

The Conservatives have defended their decision to raise student fees saying that "it will make up for lost state funding," claiming it is a "progressive reform" and gives a "greater choice for students" with a "stronger focus on high quality teaching." The 'Russell Group of Leading Universities' claims that the fees increase is "the only way for the UK to remain a serious global player in HE." The Conservatives have emphasised that universities will be closely monitored and that there will be rules in place to ensure students from a poorer background are offered the chance to go to university despite the high fees.

The fees increase has enraged many students and teachers. The higher fees and lack of increase in government funding to support the fees increase means that many students, from poor and wealthy households alike, will be put off by the idea of going to uni due to huge debts they will rack up in doing so. With a decrease in students attending university many universities who are already suffering as a result of the lost state funding, such as University of Gloucestershire, will struggle to keep up their courses and many will fall into debt and closure. This will lead to a decreased choice of university for those students still wishing to study at university and a loss of jobs in the teaching sector.

The Conservatives plan to raise fees has an incredible knock-on effect from the start and will effect students and teachers all over England. Students and teachers have been rioting for months after the Conservatives revealed their plans and even members of the Lib Dem party, the coalition party, have publicly opposed the change. Although many claim that the fees increase will help keep the UK up in the global HE market it is unlikely this is really true. The fees increase will cut down universities, students and jobs and create a shaky HE market within the UK.

What are you views on the fees increase? Are you for or against? Tell me why!