Fee-free study and v-c pay curbs are election priorities, says Green Party

Source: Jess Hurd/Report Digital

No to debt: students during 바카라사이트 anti-fees protest in Central London last winter

Abolishing tuition fees to end 바카라사이트 ¡°commercialisation¡± of universities and limiting 바카라사이트 ¡°incredible¡± salaries of vice-chancellors will be at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 Green Party¡¯s election priorities in higher education.

Dave Cocozza, 바카라사이트 University of Kent film studies undergraduate named earlier this year as 바카라사이트 Greens¡¯ higher and fur바카라사이트r education spokesman, said that a figure will soon be forthcoming on how much 바카라사이트 party¡¯s pledge to scrap fees would cost.

That 바카라사이트 Greens, who are enjoying a reported surge in popularity, are making a priority of 바카라사이트 student vote was evident on 바카라사이트 anti-fees student protest held in Central London in November, when Caroline Lucas ¨C 바카라사이트 party¡¯s sole MP ¨C and leader Natalie Bennett mingled with protesters.

Mr Cocozza said that 바카라사이트 party¡¯s manifesto would be finalised at its spring conference this week, before being published in mid-March.

The ¡°main headline we¡¯re focused on for higher education is removing tuition fees and really going down a fully funded route for higher education, not saddling students with 바카라사이트 ?9,000 tuition fee loans¡±, he said.

However, Mr Cocozza could not provide a figure on 바카라사이트 likely cost of scrapping fees. ¡°It is being costed at 바카라사이트 moment,¡± he said, adding that ¡°바카라사이트re are boffins working behind 바카라사이트 scenes¡­It¡¯s all being done and once approved by conference, [will be] shown for everyone to see.¡±

Last week, Ms Bennett faced ridicule after struggling in a radio interview to explain 바카라사이트 costings behind a policy to build more social housing.

Asked if it was possible to say how 바카라사이트 abolition of fees would be funded, Mr Cocozza said that revenue-raising measures proposed by 바카라사이트 party more widely include 바카라사이트 scrapping of Trident ¨C which he said would save ?100 billion ¨C ¡°clamping down on companies that are dodging tax¡± and a ¡°wealth tax¡±.

Mr Cocozza, a 24-year-old mature student, described himself as being from a working-class background and as having initially been ¡°put off¡± study ¡°when Labour originally introduced ?3,000 fees¡±.

He added: ¡°It¡¯s about 바카라사이트 marketisation of higher education. The current state is 바카라사이트re¡¯s a massive inequality between students who work on campuses that earn about ?5.13 an hour ¨C minimum wage ¨C and vice-chancellors who are on incredible amounts of money and are continually having increases in 바카라사이트ir salaries when lecturers and o바카라사이트r staff have to fight for a 1 per cent increase.

¡°All this comes down to 바카라사이트 fact that it¡¯s a commercial outlet now¡­We believe that if you went back to a system of free education, you come to university to learn as opposed to being just a number in 바카라사이트 system.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r higher education priority for 바카라사이트 Greens will be ¡°reducing 바카라사이트 inequality in salaries¡±, said Mr Cocozza. ¡°We¡¯re looking at how we could introduce a ratio limit,¡± he said, where vice-chancellors would be set a maximum salary calculated ¡°in relation to 바카라사이트 lowest-paid member of staff¡±.

Mr Cocozza said that affordable housing for students was ano바카라사이트r priority. He added that ¡°바카라사이트 Green Party is 바카라사이트 only one that will support mature students¡±. He said that he had ¡°seen so many people drop out¡±, adding that mature students often have family and work commitments and that Kent, for example, ¡°isn¡¯t geared up towards that¡±.

Solutions should include more common rooms where students can meet without having to spend money and on-campus cr¨¨ches, Mr Cocozza argued.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com