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All out for 'Grants not Fees' National Demonstration

NUS has called a national 'Grants not Fees' demonstration on 15th November in London. This could not come at a more crucial time.

By Sophie Bolt, NUS National Executive (pers. caps.)

The introduction of tuition fees and the abolition of grants has had a devastating effect on higher education. Applications to university have fallen year on year, with mature students, students from the poorest backgrounds and black students hardest hit. Student poverty has worsened and average graduate debt is over £15,000. With continual cuts to state funding, over 30% of institutions are in deficit whilst lecturers and college staff experience redundancies and long-term pay freezes.

Top up Fees threatened

Under pressure to deliver on core issues such as health and education the government recently increased public spending by £43 billion in the comprehensive spending review. Higher Education received an extra £100 million. Whilst welcome it in no way solves the funding crisis worsened by Labour's year-on-year cuts since taking office. The elite universities are now proposing that the only solution to the funding crisis is to make students and their families pay the full cost for their education. The Conservatives and some elite universities are also proposing the partial privatisation of higher education.

US 'Ivy-league' System

This poses the biggest attack on students since the loss of grants and the introduction of fees. The government wants to move towards the US style 'Ivy-League' where even full scholarship students incur debts of £33,750; richer institutions attract disproportionately high levels of private investment draining poorer universities; access to institutions is based on ability to pay, not ability to learn.

Mounting Opposition

Whilst No.10 has made clear its support for top-up fees, opposition is widespread, with 90 MPs signing an Early Day Motion calling on the Government to rule-out top-up fees, and both of the CVCP and the Russell Group are split over the proposals.

Students have become radicalised by the attacks. Mass free education demonstrations by students in Scotland forced the Scottish Executive to give concessions on maintenance support that they would not otherwise have made, leaving Westminster's funding policy in tatters. Threatened with expulsions, Goldsmiths students went into occupation winning a commitment that no student would be excluded due to inability to pay fees. At the University of East London, students went on rent strike in protest at the unsafe conditions in their halls winning thousands of pounds in compensation. At Cambridge, students withheld over £150,000 in their rent strikes against increases and forced many concessions. Many other occupations and protests and taken place across the country.

What is the Solution?

The only solution to the funding crisis which will ensure a high quality education system accessible to all is state funded free education, with sufficient funding to ensure proper investment in institutions and decent pay for lecturers and college staff. This is possible - given the political will - and can be paid for through, for example, a progressive taxation system, the lowering of defence spending to the European average or the taxation of dividend payments.

Maximum turnout for the national demonstration

NUS is calling on the government to restore grants, end fees and to give a commitment to rule out top-up fees. With the general election just around the corner, a huge turnout will send a strong message to the Government and the other political parties forcing the crisis in education on to the political agenda. We must unite the broadest alliance of support possible including MPs, trade unionists, parents and the wider community to put the maximum pressure on the government to deliver for students.

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