The Proposed Increase To Student Fees

Winckle wrote:

Merry Christmas, Noobs! wrote:*went to uni*

*is unemployed*

John Galt wrote:

Moggy wrote:

John Galt wrote:

But you shouldn't be forcing people to pay for things that they don't necessarily want. If I knew that my tax money was going to fund someone's Sports Journalism "degree" at Manchester Met. I wouldn't be too pleased. What I'm suggesting is that any money saved by the increased fees either goes towards tax reductions (which it won't) or towards something that everyone will benefit from. The idea of writing off people's debt if they go into a teaching, healthcare or science based career is a good one.

There are plenty of things I pay for that I would rather not. Everything from the Iraq war to the bailout of the banks, has been partially funded from my money. That’s the way our society has arranged the tax system.

And it’s a good thing that we don’t get to opt out of paying for things we don’t want. Because there are plenty of people out there that would decide they didn’t need the police or the fire brigade. Plenty would decide that they don’t have kids so why should they fund any sort of education? How many would decide "I can afford BUPA so why should I pay for the NHS?"?

And those people would be left to face the consequences. Things like the police, fire brigade and NHS are things that everyone needs though but higher education is something that an individual wants and should get by their own means. Education should be publicly funded until university because people often aren't able to make up their own minds about what they want until they're older. You're right: if left their own devices many (moronic) parents wouldn't pay for their kid's education if they were given the choice which is why it has to be forced until they're able to decide for themselves.

As for the Iraqi war, most people disagree with it and the fact that it's taken resources from other areas. If the government proposed a war top up fee I think it would meet with the same response I've given the top up fee here: that if you want it you should pay for it.

Scotticus Erroticus wrote:This thread should be specified to England.

Slartibartfast wrote:

John Galt wrote:

Moggy wrote:

John Galt wrote:

But you shouldn't be forcing people to pay for things that they don't necessarily want. If I knew that my tax money was going to fund someone's Sports Journalism "degree" at Manchester Met. I wouldn't be too pleased. What I'm suggesting is that any money saved by the increased fees either goes towards tax reductions (which it won't) or towards something that everyone will benefit from. The idea of writing off people's debt if they go into a teaching, healthcare or science based career is a good one.

There are plenty of things I pay for that I would rather not. Everything from the Iraq war to the bailout of the banks, has been partially funded from my money. That’s the way our society has arranged the tax system.

And it’s a good thing that we don’t get to opt out of paying for things we don’t want. Because there are plenty of people out there that would decide they didn’t need the police or the fire brigade. Plenty would decide that they don’t have kids so why should they fund any sort of education? How many would decide "I can afford BUPA so why should I pay for the NHS?"?

And those people would be left to face the consequences. Things like the police, fire brigade and NHS are things that everyone needs though but higher education is something that an individual wants and should get by their own means. Education should be publicly funded until university because people often aren't able to make up their own minds about what they want until they're older. You're right: if left their own devices many (moronic) parents wouldn't pay for their kid's education if they were given the choice which is why it has to be forced until they're able to decide for themselves.

As for the Iraqi war, most people disagree with it and the fact that it's taken resources from other areas. If the government proposed a war top up fee I think it would meet with the same response I've given the top up fee here: that if you want it you should pay for it.

I think you don't understand how Britain works. All society benefits from graduates, all of society should pay for part of it.

Slartibartfast wrote:I agree. Although I would stress that student debt is very much unlike commercial debt. It's cheap, safe and with no collateral at risk.

Cuban Mistletoe Crisis wrote:

Slartibartfast wrote:I agree. Although I would stress that student debt is very much unlike commercial debt. It's cheap, safe and with no collateral at risk.

It could, to the less bright people, indicate that any debt is like that.

HrC wrote:

Stig wrote:Personally I'm fortunate that my dad has both the money and will to not want either myself or my sister to leave Uni with debt, so he's basically paying it off for me at the end.

I go to a top University and do a decent degree (though perhaps not based on what HrC says...), so I should be ok job-wise.

If you are doing Comp Sci, heres the best tip ever... Do whatever you can to get experience whilst at uni... Program for free or do whatever you can to get as much business based experience before you finish. All the people I know who got jobs straight out of Uni did sandwich years or work placements before leaving. I did some voluntary stuff on the side but still wasn't enough.