University applications still rising
HE, In The News, NUS Wednesday, February 14th, 2007
UCAS has reported that the number of people applying for university degree course has increased by nearly 7%. They and New Labour should be congratulated. The propaganda is still working. The tale of how everyone goes to university and that it is the road to riches is still being sold and paying dividends.
The number of people applying for non-vocational degrees is falling, however, as prospective students increasingly realise that it pays to do as your told and not think for yourself. Big Ideas get you nowhere. Exams and pieces of paper count.
Most significantly, those vested interests have obviously not dwelt on the fact that the average student graduates with thousands of pounds of debt to clear and then has to somehow convince a mortgage lender to part with their cash at 5 or more times their income just to buy a shoebox so that they can crawl at snail’s pace to a place of work crammed in and delayed where they’ll be expected to work the longest hours of any European citizen knowing full well that to have any children would leave them further in debt. Once retired they can of course look forward to swanning off around the world but being among the most stressed people in the modern world it is unlikely that they’ll live that long. They don’t teach you that at school.
Also, as the NUS points out, research needs to be conducted to figure out what the impact of charging fees and loans has had on thse from lower income groups. In fact, no research needed. Clear as day.
Why should the young pay for their education when they are starting out in life? Income taxes up, student loans and fees out! Universal education for all not just for the rich.
Tell the truth, Tony BLIAR.