Arguing passionately in favour of the government’s higher education policy in a room full of students was never going to be popular, but I felt myself and Mark Overton put up a good fight opposing the Debating Society’s topical motion ‘This House would scrap top-up fees’.
We were debating against the new President of my Students’ Guild, Jemma Percy, and the Liberal Democrat candidate for Exeter at the 2005 General Election, Jon Underwood. I’ve got a lot of respect for Jemma – who I’m sure will be an excellent President – but I feel that many of the student unions are scaremongering about the true picture of tuition fees.
I also found it odd that the Liberal Democrat representative was being quite so strident on tuition fees given that his party seems to have not decided which way to go on the issue. You may recall that at the last General Election they were pledging to abolish tuition fees and pay for it by taxing the highest earners more. Now, having scrapped their tax proposals at the behest of their new leader, there’s little way of knowing how their higher education policy will shape up. This article sums up the U-turn.
The proposition were brilliant at attacking the government’s plans, but were light on alternative proposals. In an ideal world, we’d all still be getting the free student grant that Dr. Underwood so enjoyed. Sadly, Somebody has to fund the huge increase in student numbers since the last major reform of higher education in the 1960s, which was under Harold Wilson, when 6% of the population went to university. The government has put in place a progressive set of measures – including the reintroduction of the student grant and extra funding for those who find it difficult to get to university – and also linked funding for universities to their success in widening participation.
The perception that students are struggling to get by seems strange. There are more safeguards for poorer students and those who would struggle to get through the admissions process in the first place now than ever before – and, as a disabled student, that’s something I’m particularly grateful for.
We might have lost the debate, but I’m pleased that Exeter students heard both sides of the argument. For an impartial view of the debate, try X-Net. In the unlikely event, you’d want to read more of my ramblings on the subject, click here.
