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Burstow attacks Government's Higher Education funding proposals
January 22, 2003 10:45 AM
Burstow attacks Government's Higher Education funding proposals
The Government's proposals for Higher Education funding announced today will lead to two tier education system and debts of £20,000 per student warned Paul Burstow MP, and will leave families in Sutton and Cheam to pick up the costs.
Paul Burstow said:
"These funding proposals break every single promise this Government has made to students and universities."
"Government research shows fear of debt puts off young people from entering higher education. Burdening Sutton's students with £20,000 of debt won't increase the chances of our young people going to university."
"Britain's universities will become a two tier education system with universities separated by what they can charge and students split by what they can afford."
"University will be for the rich, rather than the talented."
"The debt burden of this policy will fall most heavily on women who already earn 38% less than their male counterparts. "
"Until the Government actually addresses what a modern country needs from its higher education system, Britain will not develop equity between students nor quality in our universities and instead will leave students with debts."
"ENDS"
"Notes to editors"
"Students will have to pay annual tuition fees of up to £3,000 a year under plans confirmed by the government. Education Secretary Charles Clarke has told the Commons universities will be free to increase tuition fees, currently pegged at £1,100 a year. For the first time different universities will be able to charge different fees up to a cap of £3,000. Maintenance grants, which were scrapped by Labour in 1998, are being brought back next year, but only for the poorest students. From September 2004 students whose families earn under £10,000 will receive a grant of £1,000, or around £19 per week. The government has already said students who go to university under the new arrangements could leave with average debts of about £15,000.
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