Lord Browne and the student fees debate

Lord Browne has done his review. It's causing some ripples in the Coalition with a few LibDems getting the collywobbles. Ming Campbell is apparently decidely upset but I can't think why. Scotland is out of this loop. It's all about England and the tuition fees here.

The report says, "After leaving university, graduates will only begin repaying when they reach annual earnings of over £21,000 a year, up from £15,000 under the current system. Even then, the payments will be small, for example at an income level of £25,000 a year the repayments will be £7 a week". So lowly paid graduates won't need to worry and even those on relatively modest incomes for these supposed high-flyers will be able to cope.

Anyone listening to Aaron Porter, the suave promoter of NUS thinking, would have the idea that all hell was about to be let loose on higher education. He seems able to afford posh suits. It's all a load of political hogwash. I bet this time next year the same amount of students will be taking up university places. The ones Aaron Porter needs to worry about are the dropouts. Not because they stop paying their union dues, but because it causes problems for everyone else.

Posted in: higher education,Lord Browne,NUS,students unions,universities