Seen yesterday during the demonstrations to protest the raising of university fees: a student carrying a coffin bearing the legend 'Education is dead'. Made out of a brand new Mac Book Pro box. Your heart just bleeds...
Taking a slash
5 days ago
OK, it was a stupid source material, but the protesters have a point.
ReplyDeleteTaxation already provides more money for the State the more you earn. Why should students have to pay even more if they've been able to secure a good paying job? In fact, £21K is hardly earth-shattering money. I got that in my first graduate job. In 1996. When I had no debts to pay off and even in the warm glow of low interest rates and low house prices, still couldn't afford the deposit to buy a £38k flat in Uxbridge.
What is the most obvious thing that will happen when students graduate and have the potential to earn decent money (which would bring in decent taxes)? Brain drain - they'll rightly fuck off to Sunnier climes where they won't be so highly taxed.
Do we owe it to students to educate them? Maybe no, but we do owe it to the country to have an educated workforce.
The whole university funding model is shit. Unis should be compensated for putting on excellent courses... not just lots of courses. We sell the idea to 16 year olds that whatever A Levels they do will be fine. Whatever degree they then apply for, will be fine. It's not true. And the sad truth is that only the middle classes+ know this.
Jemima and Tarquin won't be going to Leeds Met. Ever.
And let's not even start with the hypocrisy of the politicians who all benefited from a free education and full grants. As well as a silver spoon in their mouths. Cuts? Cunts.