NUS should focus on reducing the burden on students – not increasing it

Students today demanded that NUS calls for reductions in the costs of going to university and end its' support for even higher student charges.

Kanja Sesay, NUS Black Students’ Officer alongside Fiona Edwards, Secretary of the Free Education Campaign said:

“In recent days student funding has been at the top of the political agenda.

Sadly the debate has been totally one sided - focusing almost exclusively on how to make people pay even more for a university education.

On the one hand, Vince Cable seems to favour making people pay more through a graduate tax, whilst others in the government seem to back higher fees.

With student debt already soaring to £23,000, the idea that students should pay even more is absurd.

We need a serious debate about reducing the burden on students – not one looking at the best ways to increase the costs.

NUS needs to lead this debate. Instead it has ‘welcomed’ Vince Cable’s backing for a graduate tax to replace student top-up fees. This is totally the wrong path to be going down and it needs to change tack.”