Opposing higher student charges – add your name to the statement

Please find below a statement signed by a number of leading student representatives.

Add your name to the statement by emailing freeeducationcampaign@gmail.com

OPPOSING HIGHER STUDENT CHARGES

A government review into university funding will soon make its recommendations.

So far the debate has been totally one sided – focusing almost exclusively on how to make people pay even more for receiving a university education.

Some in the Coalition government favour making people pay more through a graduate tax whilst others back higher fees of up to £7,000 per year.

With student debt already averaging £23,000, the idea that the cost of a university degree should increase further is absurd.

There are progressive alternatives to funding higher education which would tackle student debt and help Britain create the highly skilled economy it needs – rather than slipping further down international league tables of university participation as it currently is. To this end, we welcome the UCU’s contribution to the debate, proposing that tuition fees be replaced by an increase in corporation tax.

We demand that the Coalition government uses the review to reduce the burden on students – not as an opportunity to increase these costs.

Initial signatories include:

Kanja Sesay, NUS Black Students' Officer

Vicki Baars, NUS LGBT Officer

Joshi Sachdeo, NUS NEC

Rebecca Sawbrigde, Disabled Students' Rep, NUS NEC

Sean Rillo Raczka, NUS NEC

Neelam Rose, NUS Black Students' Committee

Cameron Tait, President of the University of Sussex SU

Fiona Edwards, Free Education Campaign

Aaron Kiely, NUS Black Students' Committee

Sol Schonfield, Communications Officer of the University of Sussex SU