Ok now I am going to swerve from my usual creative babble to rant for a minute about comments made on face book about the rise in Uni fees in the. The fees are set to almost triple in 2012! So instead of a 3 year course costing around 10K it will cost nearly 30K.
I've been reading comments like "Too many people are getting into university these days it will make a degree be worth something again"
Ok this person should just shut their cake hole in my opinion. I will write this slowly so they can understand. If they made GCSE the A levels harder this would make it more worthy as you would have to work harder to get in. I mean come on the introduction of A* clearly shows that exams now days are just too easy there fore cheapening education.
My mate Tamsin is a frickin genius and she didn't get 10 A's at GCSE or 3 A's at A level. Making something more expensive does not make it worth more!
The other little gem "It works in America" HA does it really, I believe that it only makes the divide between the rich and poor even bigger. The rich ones who have marginal intelligence get to walk in because they can pay and the poor kids have to be Einstein to even get considered. Then this has a knock on effect out in the big wide world where more and more companies will only take on graduates. So an averagely smart poor person will be far more limited in Job opportunities than an averagely smart rich person.
One my husband heard on the radio "Yeah why shouldn't they pay, they'll be able to afford it when they get their 100K job" Having a degree doesn't mean you are automatically a 50k bonus a year banker. My nephew wants to be a teacher ( And God knows we need them) But he'll never earn that kind of money. My friend Lucy is a teacher and she earns OK money but it's taken her nearly 15 years to get there.
I think a lot of people who didn't go to university think that it's just a doss and have a bit of a chip on their shoulders. I didn't go to university so I don't know if it is or not, I think some courses are more of a skive than others. But to assume that everyone is just on a four year piss up is a bit unfair.
What I think raising the fees will do is put off a lot of kids from lower income families from even bothering to try because they don't want to put any more financial burden on the family.
I think that what it will do is instill an idea that only the wealthy get ahead and create more animosity and less motivation to try.
Now last but by no means least where is this extra money going? Will the universities be getting any of the extra 6K per student a year? Will the extra money be going towards making a better education system. Or is it going to the government? Is it a glorified EDUCATION TAX. Is that extra money going towards trying to fish us out of the shit that they themselves created?
Next we'll be paying through the nose for health care and pledging allegiance to the flag. I think you know which one I mean.
4 comments:
You're right Sam. The value and standard of the various different degree courses are completely separate issues.
This is an issue of equality and in particular the opportunities of those from more financially deprived backgrounds to improve their future. It is vital for social mobility and equality that fees do not prohibit access to education.
And you're right, not everyone who choses to extend their knowledge, understanding and skills do it in order to then earm excessive salaries, some may want to contribute to a fairer, better society.
I don't know how Clegg sleeps at night.
Jenny
Hmm.. As I said to another ranter last night. The one who benefits most from university is the student. Society as a whole also gains but not to the extent that the student does
I have two kids who are about 4 and 6 years respectively away from university. I haven't got a pot to piss in and the thought that it could cost each of them 27k for a three year course does bother me. However whilst I will do what I can for them I don't expect other people to pay for their education. They won't have to pay anything back till they start to earn over 23k a year which is wage many people without degrees would be envious of. It's not unreasonable to make people contribute to their own education. The fact that the country is skint is not the students fault but the rest of us who already work hard for a living a paying the price why should the students be excluded. Studying for a degree may not be a diddle but there are many people who do it whilst holding down a job, so it certainly not hard graft on it's own. It's about time they took it seriously, because as you say it's not just an opportunity for a 3-4 year piss up. Maybe the fact that they have to pay for what rightly is a priviledge not a right, will help them grow up and approach it seriously.
I would have loved the opportunity. Still would if I could afford it
Jon Kelly
Ah ha a cat on both sides of the fence...love it! Jon good to hear from you. I'm not totally against student fees I just dont think a 6 grand increase is on that's all and it was the comment that degrees aren't worth anything any more that really got my goat with the person believing that just because it was financially harder to obtain gave it more worth, which i am sure you agree is rubbish but then i am sure who ever it was wouldn't be seen dead in jeans from asda either
I most certainly agree that the price paid by a student does not dictate the value of the degree that student acheives. The one has no bearing on the other. I also agree with the last post in that ways should still be looked at to make education as accessible for all. I just think that in some cases people drift into uni and waste what is a privilege frivolously at my expense. The funding ratio has been altered from 60% government 40% student to 40% government 60% student which sounds kinda right to me as the lions share of the educational benefit accrues to the student. Those that wish to educate themselves for reasons other than financial benefit can still do so without penalty as they have noting to pay till they earn over 23k which may never occur, and therefore the debt is never paid. I will admit that I would still have an issue with that personally but I guess they may be contributing to society in some way that justifies my investment in their education. The last point I would make is that whilst the students have been utterly betrayed by the libdems ( many libdem seats are in university towns and cities mainly due to student votes! ) the levels of violence and destruction shown at the various demonstrations is totally out of order and shows the same lack of respect for society as it does for the way so many students approach the whole opportunity that is university education. I know that sounds a bit harsh but it comes from 10 years of personal experianc and observation working in student housing in a university town. All I really want is students to accept that times are tough on everyone and to accept that what they want to do with their lives unfortunately carries a price tag and that life is like that and it's time to make lemonade with the lemons we have been given and to take some pride in doing so.
Ps great blog x
Jon Kelly
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