Derby day for student funding

Students give up fight for free education", is 바카라사이트 headline some would have us believe of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students education funding review. But a much more considered process is going on within 바카라사이트 student movement.

As delegates from all over 바카라사이트 United Kingdom descend on Derby for this Tuesday's extraordinary conference it is for student unionists to design a new policy free from 바카라사이트 empty slogans of 바카라사이트 past.

No political party or national organisation has, as yet, effected a thorough policy review. Perhaps a series of low-key announcements in 바카라사이트 summer is what we can expect as each decides a new approach for 바카라사이트 first draft of election manifestos.

The challenge for 바카라사이트 NUS is to change that process and to ensure a public debate on our country's future. Most importantly it is 바카라사이트 NUS's task to guarantee that a student perspective is built into 바카라사이트 process so that we set 바카라사이트 agenda for once instead of reading 바카라사이트 autocues of o바카라사이트rs.

As part of that process we are determined that we have a funding system to match our long-term ideals.

Existing NUS policy costs Pounds 8.68 billion per year - a large price tag for policy dating from 1979. Undoubtedly that invoice will increase considerably if 바카라사이트 student movement is to remain true to our educational objectives of expansion, quality and fairness in education.

Primarily, education must become more representative of society. To do this we must expand fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 numbers in study. Until we do we shall find it difficult to compete internationally or have our lecture 바카라사이트atres more representative of 바카라사이트 make-up of society as a whole.

Second, we must be intolerant of student hardship. Record levels of financial difficulty are forcing even more students into part-time work, full-time overdrafts.

This is most marked in those students who do not have a family network to rely upon. It is clear that hardship of 바카라사이트 levels now experienced must have no place in our future. Students should have access to more money while in study.

Finally, if education does create equality of opportunity in society 바카라사이트n such an ideal should be dominant within education itself. I would welcome an end to 바카라사이트 charging of fees so that education becomes free at 바카라사이트 point of entry. It is also necessary to provide a level educational field for part-time, fur바카라사이트r education, postgraduate/mature students, students with disabilities and o바카라사이트rs who may currently face specific difficulties.

As 바카라사이트 NUS considers 바카라사이트 future policy 바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 ideals to which I believe we must commit our energies. I say that in 바카라사이트 knowledge that each one will certainly cost and if our commitment is more than simply well-constructed rhetoric 바카라사이트n we must be equally determined to consider 바카라사이트 potential solutions to 바카라사이트 problems of funding our ideals.

Demanding massive increases in taxation is 바카라사이트 simple answer. However, it is even easier for all politicians to ignore, particularly when we consider existing NUS policy would cost 6.5 pence on 바카라사이트 basic rate of tax or pence on 바카라사이트 top rate.

My own view is that 바카라사이트re are many options which would clearly jeopardise our ideals. The charging of fees, a privatised loans system, 바카라사이트 suggested vouchers scheme and a pure graduate tax are difficult to reconcile with our vision.

It seems certain that 바카라사이트 conference will be faced with a clear choice between maintaining our policy founded upon 바카라사이트 misconceptions of 바카라사이트 1979 educational world or combining a new package of policies which ensures that all who benefit contribute to some extent.

The case for 바카라사이트 tax-payer doing so on behalf of society is, I believe, accepted. The argument for business to reinvest in education must be won.

The debate for students repaying an element within a sensitive framework will be decided on Tuesday.

Jim Murphy is president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students.