Student Fees

WIth thanks to Anthony from Manchester.

Open letter to Mr Clegg- immoral fee rises!

Dear Mr Clegg,

I write to you in despair at plans to discard caps on tuition fees so tuition fees may hike to £7000 or even £10000. In your manifesto, you stated that you would “scrap unfair university tuition fees so everyone has the chance to get a degree, regardless of their parents income” yet now this pledge now seems to have been forgotten and Vince Cable has stated that the government will not make any move towards a graduate tax to fund universities, which many see as preparing the ground for higher fees. I ask the question, why? Why in one instance abandon something crucial to your manifesto, something that attracted many students I know to vote for you? Why in the second instance do you seem to advocate the hike in fees to possibly £7000, making possibly unfair fees even more oppressive?

I come from an underprivilged background and I worked hard through secondary school to gain my GCSE results and similarly thorugh sixth form college to get my A-Level results. Like many of people in a similar position, I wish to go to university in order to better myself and escape from the deprivation i was born into. I find it hard enough with fees of £3290 a year which alongside my maintainance loan which I find vital, which will saddle me with massive debts when I leave. By hiking fees to £7000 or even £10000, people like me will find it even harder and many will be put off university altogether due to the enormous cost. That means a potential Einstein, a potential Stephen Hawking will be turned away. They may have big brains yet their talent may not be realised as they do not have big wallets.

How is this just? How is this progressive and HOW IS THIS IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST?

A graduate tax has been proposed as an alternative to higher fees and thus this would seem a fairer alternative to fees which would price the underpriveliged out of a greater start in life, gaining better moe high paid jobs and thus would contribute greatly to society in terms of higher income tax and a more qualified work force.

I urge you as leader of the Lib-dems to remember what you stated in your election manifesto and OPPOSE these unjust hikes in tuition fees. I urge you to remember and to vote against such a monsterous and unfair proposal which would trap many like me in debt and despair!

Yours faithfully

Anthony