IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8January 2004
Commenting on the Governments bill tointroduce top-up fees for university students, Doug McAvoy, NUT GeneralSecretary, said:
Like health, education should be free atthe point of delivery. The Government is reneging on that fundamentalprinciple. Our fear is that it wont be long till New Labour erodes thatprinciple further down the education service rather than face the cost ofeducating our children.
Sadly, the Government has succeeded inside-lining the debate away from the principle and on to deals done with NewLabour discontents.
The cost of expansion of access to highereducation must be paid for through a transparent taxation system and not bystealth. Everyone in this country benefits when our young people are bettereducated. That fact should be reflected in the way we fund our educationservice at all levels.
Our fears about the Governments top-upfees proposal are that it will deter youngsters from less well off families,cause resentment amongst those from higher income families while not meetingthe resource needs of universities.
This is New Labour at its most divisive,leading to a more stratified higher education system.
Instead of widening access, the fear ofdebt will narrow take-up and the whole country will be the loser.
E N D PR.01/04