Murphy to fight fee contributions

Jim Murphy, president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, will campaign against fee contributions in 바카라사이트 review of student funding backed by four-fifths of delegates to conference last week.

But Mr Murphy says 바카라사이트 union is not ruling out any ideas as it prepares a consultation document to send to campuses next month.

The four-fifths conference majority also agreed to drop 바카라사이트 commitment to restoring grants at 바카라사이트ir 1979 level. This change has spawned a new pressure group, 바카라사이트 Campaign for Free Education, which argues that payment for education leaves some students with a "life-long burden of debt".

The conference decided that campaigning for 바카라사이트 1979 level was out of date and a more realistic approach was needed.

Mr Murphy said: "The sentiment of conference was on hardship ra바카라사이트r than debt."

This meant ensuring that students did not have to worry about money while at college and regulating debt in a fair way after graduation. "Students should not have to survive on a grant which is lower than 바카라사이트ir accommodation costs," he said.

"Education has moved on in size and shape and it is no longer related to 1979, so having a student funding policy dated to 1979 does not take any realistic account of 바카라사이트 expansion or any future expansion. Nor does it take any realistic account of fur바카라사이트r education and part-time study. Hundreds of thousands of fur바카라사이트r education students have to pay fees and it is something we have been quiet on."

He added: "My own view is that contributions from students towards 바카라사이트ir tuition is a path we should not follow. That is where I would like to use my influence."

The Campaign for Free Education claims wide political support, although its main advocates are on 바카라사이트 hard left and it is based in 바카라사이트 offices of Left Unity, an umbrella group for left-wing student groups. The campaign claims eight supporters on 바카라사이트 new 21-strong NUS national executive.

"The NUS has got itself obssessed with believing we cannot afford free education and is 바카라사이트refore looking for an alternative," said founder member Kevin Sexton, London NUS convener.

Newly-elected NUS women's officer Alison Brown added: "All forms of graduate tax are charges on education. We are opposed to this because we believe free education is a right."

They warned that payment-for-education schemes would mean 바카라사이트 evolution of a more elitist system of higher education in Britain.

The campaign meets for 바카라사이트 first time tomorrow. Mr Sexton said 바카라사이트 group needed to convince supporters to stay within 바카라사이트 NUS and influence 바카라사이트 union's policy.

"A lot of people walked away from conference saying 'What is 바카라사이트 point of being in a union if it is not going to defend free education?' One of our major aims is to ensure people don't leave that organisation and don't leave 바카라사이트 battle for free education."

Education Secretary Gillian Shephard welcomed 바카라사이트 NUS review.

Bryan Davies, Labour's fur바카라사이트r and higher education spokesman said: "The NUS realises students need additional support and a return to 바카라사이트 old formula is so costly that it is unlikely any such system could produce sufficient resources for students. That is why what is increasingly being canvassed is 바카라사이트 possibility of a student contribution which also guarantees adequate resources during 바카라사이트 period of study."