[These are the ramblings of a young man who wants to express some thoughts, and has found nowhere else as yet to express them - please forgive]
The current issue with education revolves around universities. There are two issues that make the most headlines regarding these institutions. Firstly, and probably most publicly demonised, is the new fees system. I am, as yet, unconvinced that the proposed system deserved the riotous acts that plagued our capital a few weeks ago. The new system sounds like an unfair increase in what students have to pay, but these new 'fees', like the current system, do not require the student to make payments upfront. It is most likely that they will start paying when the degree they have attained manifests itself as higher wages. Even this threshold has been increased, and now will move with inflation, meaning that as cost of living increases the threshold for payment goes up - which sounds fairer to me.
Ultimately I have to ask the students and prospective students where they think the money should come from if fees were not raised. There is a finite pot that the government can call on.
Let's consider an alternative, and explore if it is viable. The tax payer funds the degrees, keeping fees low. The previous generation of students will pay taxes for the next generation to go on and do the same. Could this method work? Is there any innate flaw in such a system? The biggest one that I can see is there is now no limit to what some graduates will pay in taxes toward higher education. If a graduate is paying a "graduate tax", which will really be the proportion of their tax money that goes into higher education, they will keep paying it over their working life. If they earn lots from their job, the contributions could far exceed the cost of their one degree. Equally, someone without a degree earning lots will also be paying the cost of multiple degrees over their life. If we instead take it as a "loan" capped at £9k (which is not necessarily true, but an issue for another debate) then the graduate will pay back upto that amount (plus the inflationary interest) but will stop once they have reached that limit - thereby not paying an inordinate amount for someone else's education. This will stop those who haven't got a degree paying anything toward it, and those that don't earn much with their degree will only pay back a limited amount based on what they can afford.
This is not an upfront fee - as such it has not restricted the poorer students from going to university. The idea of being sadled with debt is not a pleasant one, I agree. I have my own student loan, which is not as high as currently proposed, but still substantial enough. But as long as this is a national program, and that further financing such as mortgages and credit ratings are not unduly affected by it, it is a manageable burden.
The other issue that has arisen in the news recently is that of poorer students (those on Free School Meals - FSM - at secondary school) getting into the top universities. The government seem to be suggesting that universities favour state school educated students, especially those from a less affluent background, when dealing with applications. This is surely a form of discrimination. What of those students who have also achieved grades at private schools who want to go to these universities? Wouldn't it be fairer to make sure that selection is based on academic achievement, putting checks into the selection process, possibly in some form of auditing, but that allow everyone to have an equal chance? If a university is faced with a choice between a private school student with 3 As and a state school student with 3 Bs, and the course is demanding enough to warrant an entry requirement of A grades, then the university should be free to select the student who can do the work without the need to consider quotas!
If the government wants to intervene in these children's lives, they should focus on the earlier stages that will enable them to be competitive at uni. And to face the fact that there is a problem in our schools with apathy, arrogance and disrespect. The story of the american teacher suspended because of her blog labeling her students as lazy and oafish reminds me of several youth I have encountered. This is a society thing, not limited to just education. If the government wants to help, then they should look into the causes of the disgraceful behaviour of a significant minority of the younger generation rather than just trying to fudge the numbers to make it look like everything is ok.
Note: I am aware that a lot of children are not that bad, but I have come across a few that are. I am also aware that when I was younger I would not have stood out as a model youth, but with the experience of a few years I would like to see a generation grateful for what they have.
