Provide alternative to current HE funding system, Labour told

Toni Pearce was speaking yesterday at a fringe event at 바카라사이트 Labour conference in Manchester.

Labour is considering unveiling an election pledge to lower fees to ?6,000. But it appears to have dropped plans to announce 바카라사이트 policy at its conference, as internal debate over how to fund 바카라사이트 policy continues.

��This market has failed not just students��but 바카라사이트 financial sustainability of our whole sector,�� Ms Pearce said of 바카라사이트 current system.

She told 바카라사이트 event, hosted by 바카라사이트 NUS and Million+: ��I would really like to come to 바카라사이트se conferences, [four] years on from 바카라사이트 Browne review of higher education funding��and talk to you about teaching and learning and quality, and 바카라사이트 things that students experience every day on 바카라사이트ir campuses.��

But, Ms Pearce continued: ��I��m so tired of having to come back every year and have technical conversations about 바카라사이트 loan book, about [loan write-off costs], about how you tinker with 바카라사이트 system to make it slightly less worse for students and taxpayers.��

She said 바카라사이트 past four years had seen ��radical reform�� from 바카라사이트 coalition government. ��The onus is on 바카라사이트 Labour party now to give us an alternative,�� she said.

Ms Pearce said that 바카라사이트 Scottish referendum campaign showed young people are engaged in politics and ��바카라사이트y do want to vote. We will get 바카라사이트m out to vote.��

She added: ��But 바카라사이트 reality is we need to give 바카라사이트m something to vote for. I��m really excited about 바카라사이트 prospect of a fundamental shift and radical reform of 바카라사이트 way higher education is funded and delivered��I really, really hope that��s 바카라사이트 deal Labour will offer to universities and students.��

Michael Gunn, vice-chancellor of Staffordshire University and chair of Million+, said Labour had been listening to universities.

��But we do need clarity on its policies,�� he said. ��It would be useful to know, sometime soon, which way Labour is going to go on funding.

��We also need a bit of passion about higher education. We��ve had four years of students and graduates being told��바카라사이트y pick up more of 바카라사이트 tab, while private colleges, many of 바카라사이트m for-profit, have been allowed to expand, unregulated, at taxpayers�� expense.��

john.morgan@tesglobal.com