28 November 2003
Teaching and student unions have poured scorn on the idea that replacing upfront tuition fees with top-up fees will allow young people to 'achieve their full potential'.
Higher education reform is at the centre of the government's legislative programme for the next session and controversial proposals to shake up university finance headed the Queen's Speech.
The speech made no mention of top-up fees, but they underpin the government's proposals to channel more money into the higher education sector. The Bill would also establish an Office of Fair Access – a body intended to ensure poorer students are not deterred from applying.
But Sally Hunt, general secretary of the Association of University Teachers, condemned the government's decision to press ahead with the plans despite widespread opposition. She said: 'By introducing variable top-up fees, ministers will be laying the foundations for a dog-eat-dog, multi-tier university system, where students will get places at institutions based on their ability to pay, not their ability to learn.'
Mandy Telford, president of the National Union of Students, warned of the graduate debt burden, which she said militated against the government's desire to promote a prudent and financially responsible society.
Telford also cast doubt on the likely effectiveness of the Office of Fair Access. 'There is no evidence that they will have any powers to sanction universities,' she said.
But there was support from Universities UK, which said a graduate contribution of up to £3,000 per year would help plug the HE funding gap. A spokeswoman said: 'The UK's universities urgently need additional income to address severe financial difficulties.'
The government will have to face down strong internal opposition over its plans. About 100 Labour MPs have already threatened to rebel, which would make the government liable to a Commons defeat.
PFnov2003
