IMMEDIATE RELEASE 26 November 2003
Commenting on the Governments plan to pushahead with legislation on top up fees for university students, Doug McAvoy,General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said:
The Government has failed to appreciatethe depth of opposition to its plans for top up fees and the reasons forit. Even with its planned bursaries andgrants for the poorest students, they will still be left with huge debts at theend of their university careers.
The fear of debt itself will discourageyoung people from less well off families and will deter entirely those from thepoorest.
The Government shows no appreciation ofthe loathing less well off members of society have for debt. The better off mayflourish on credit cards and loans but the poor are terrified of debt.
They have seen the havoc caused tofamilies by debt and they do not want to start their working lives with thismillstone round their necks.
If the Government is serious aboutpromoting the education of all our young people, it should withdraw thisdamaging scheme and think again.
EN D PR93/03