Zoe dares to have an opinion in front of people then hides under her desk for the rest of the day.
A political issue! Run for the hills!
I don't ususally do this, in fact, I avoid it like the plague, but I feel like pointing out some things that are quite important and people seem to be missing completely regarding the whole student fees affair.
Firstly, I don't think people should be paying £9000/year tuition. I think the current £3000 is much more appropriate.
Secondly, why yes I do have an alternative solution: cut PLACES. Re-academicise academia, don't put out this ridiculous attitude that you NEED a degree to succeed (unless you're a doctor or lawyer or architect or similar), and if you don't get one you've got no hope of being successful and happy. I'm sure Lord Alan Sugar can give you a speech to that effect. There are much better value and more effective education and training routes into employment like apprenticeships that need some serious promotion and talking up. (It's ironic that so-called socialist types have created the most uncalled-for snobbery about university that is so unbelievably damaging). There are far too many people starting degrees (25% drop out apparently - fee money the taxpayer will never see again that has achieved nothing whatsoever) and the degrees themselves have lost value.
Thirdly, most importantly, how the fuck is this system supposed to work?
I really don't understand how this is supposed to be a money-saving scheme for ANYONE involved. To try and sweeten the fee hike pill, they've made the repayment rules more generous - increased the payback start threshold, lowered the interest takings, and if you don't get rich enough to do so, you still end up getting it all written off in the end. Surely this is the educational equivalent of a NINJA mortgage? (And we all know how well they turned out). They can dole out as many 'loans' as they like - what on EARTH makes them think they're gonna get it back!!!??? Surely the only people paying it back in full will be the people who have worked hard and become hospital consultants? All these people who are being hit by this, the middle classes downwards, may well get to start paying it off because they've done reasonably well out of it, but I don't think they'll ever finish! These loans just aren't gonna get repaid!
So yeah, just wanted to write down my disaster prediction now... because I do forsee disaster.