Cornwall's Lib Dems invited to comment on university tuition fees
One newspaper said 30 Lib Dem MPs were prepared to vote against the coalition government, but failed to name any from Cornwall. has been full of it all day, but if there was a contribution from Cornwall then I must have missed it.
Business Secretary Vince Cable has accepted a report which recommends abolishing the cap on university tuition fees (currently about £3,300 a year). Cable has suggested £7,000 might become the norm with some universities charging much more. Analysts say the brave new competitive market in higher education means some universities could go out of business.
For what it's worth, the line generally taken in Lib Dem Voice has ranged from "I'll quit if this happens" to "Oh well the price of power....let's just say a big boy made us do it and then he ran away."
Once upon a time Cornwall's Lib Dems would phone me several times a day offering to comment on almost any news story, no matter how trivial. Now that there is something really very important to talk about, they've gone strangely quiet. But the comments section on this blog is still open...
I'm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Devon’s Graham Smith, blogging on news, views and some fresh insights into West Country life, particularly the way government works locally and nationally.
Comment number 1.
At 12th Oct 2010, P_Trembath wrote:Tuition fees, for a first degree, should be scrapped.
It is in all our interests to have a better educated workforce.
Bring back grants, but have students sign an agreement to work in the UK for at least 10 years following their graduation.
However, there should be safeguards in place to prevent the "professional" students like we had in the 60's and 70's
That said, there are some real Micky Mouse degrees out there these days that could do with "looking" at.
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Comment number 2.
At 13th Oct 2010, Tynegod wrote:"That said, there are some real Micky Mouse degrees out there these days that could do with "looking" at."
Really?
Could you elucidate?
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Comment number 3.
At 13th Oct 2010, Peter Tregantle wrote:I think whatever policy we have should be the same as Scotland
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Comment number 4.
At 13th Oct 2010, Tynegod wrote:"The SNP today restated the party's opposition to tuition fees after a new report suggested the Lib Dem and Tory Government could put fees in England up to over £6000.
Speaking on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Scottish Education Secretary Michael Russell said:
"Scotland has a different way of doing things. What we won't do is have upfront tuition fees."
The SNP abolished the Labour/Lib Dem backdoor tuition fee in 2007 and has reintroduced grants for part time students to boost student support.
Commenting on the future of higher education funding, the UK Government's support for tuition fees and the Green paper being produced by the Scottish Government to look at the future of higher education Mr Russell said:
"I accept there will have to be major changes in
Scotland in higher education, I think we all know that after the Labour mismanagement of the economy."
However there isn`t any one solution, there are a range of solutions that will change the cost base of higher education."
It looks like the Scottish Government are looking for alternatives to "up-front fees", Peter. But they will have to find new ways to finance higher education, by the sound of that.
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Comment number 5.
At 13th Oct 2010, P_Trembath wrote:Slimslad wrote:-
""That said, there are some real Micky Mouse degrees out there these days that could do with "looking" at."
Really?
Could you elucidate?"
Look at the syllabus of most Universities these days, and you will find courses on offer that can only be money raising enterprises, bums on seats. I see one university is offering a Masters degree in contemporary dance, why? What use is it? Are you going to tell me there are work placements out there for 30+ graduates a year, from that university alone, that require a masters degree level qualification. It is a qualification for the sake of a qualification.
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Comment number 6.
At 13th Oct 2010, Peter Tregantle wrote:But in abolishing charges for Scottish and EU – but not English – students the Nats made great play of the fact that they were returning to the days of free university education. In fact some might have called their proclamations in this direction downright boasting.
However, things have changed and changed dramatically since those heady days of "loadsamoney".
IMHO the system needs to be fair, the english tax payer should not give extra funding to the Scotish to feed egos or downgrade English education
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Comment number 7.
At 13th Oct 2010, Peter Tregantle wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 8.
At 13th Oct 2010, Andrew Jacks wrote:What hope have the youth, no chances of home, pension or education?
Wow Blair and brown really did break Britain
And I hope it is Britian and not just England
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Comment number 9.
At 29th Nov 2010, sahijee wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 10.
At 21st Dec 2010, Socrates Spyr wrote:There's no money left in the pot to invest in the future! Travesty. Better start saving to put my kids through university - or emigrate.
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