NUS vows to continue tuition fee fight
By Alex Stevenson
Students will continue to oppose universities’ “breathtakingly arrogant” support for top-up fees, National Union of Students (NUS) president Wes Streeting has told politics.co.uk.
Around 100 students are lobbying MPs in parliament this afternoon as they seek to prevent further increases in tuition fees.
The NUS has led a long-running campaign against top-up fees since their introduction in 2004.
And earlier this week a BBC survey suggested over half of university vice-chancellors would like to see top-up fees rise to £5,000.
The NUS says this would mean some students would face debts of over £32,000 on graduation. It argues graduates should be asked to shoulder more of the burden.
Standing on College Green outside parliament before entering the Palace of Westminster, Mr Streeting told politics.co.uk: “We’re here to tell MPs this is breathtakingly arrogant in the middle of a severe economic downturn but also to say we’re serious about debating how to get more money into our universities and we’re up for debating how graduates contribute so that’s what we’re here for today.”
Later this year the government will begin its review of tuition fees. Mr Streeting said he believed it would not report until after the next general election.
“We’ve shown we’re serious about having the debate, having the discussion, and now we want a seat at the table,” he added.
“It’s one thing to deny the public a debate at the general election, it’s another thing to deny students a voice in what will be a critical decision that affects the future lives of millions of students and millions of graduates.”
The NUS has published a document today outlining its proposals for an alternative funding model.
It argues higher education should be free at the point of use, with graduates made to foot more of the bill.
Mr Streeting added: “We’re going to be publishing a model later this year looking at a realistic graduate contribution which is based on the ability to pay, and so I think this a sign NUS is back in business with this debate and we’ve catapulted ourselves right to the centre of it.”
Projections issued by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills suggest the total level of student debt is expected to reach around £46 billion by 2013.
