Student Union Meeting Condemns University Fees

Written by Cllr Barry Stamp on Sat 12th Mar 2005

Student debt was high on the agenda when Stafford's would be Liberal Democrat MP meet student representatives at Staffordshire University on Friday.

Barry Stamp who was visiting the University as part of his fact finding tour of the Constituency, had a private meeting with Students' Union President Alistair Watson and other representatives of the student body.

"It was clear from my meeting that growing student debt is the top of list of students concerns. Union President Alistair Watson and the other students I meet all had horrendous tales to tell of the debt they were all facing when their time at University comes to end. Everyone was bitterly disappointed that Tony Blair had failed to keep his promise on student fees and felt they had been badly let down. Two of the students in the group I meet faced debits of over £20,000 when they finished their courses this summer. What was even more worrying was the fact that as soon as they leave the University they would start to get interest charges added to this already high sum. As one student said he would need to take the first job that came along regardless of what is was so he could start making repayments to reduce his debt. These problems are facing students today and the situation will only get worse when top-up fees are introduced next year, although repayments on the students loans taken out to cover these increased charges will not have to be paid back until the graduate earns over £25,000. All the students supported the Liberal Democrat policy to scrap tuition fees which they felt would take an enormous pressure off students and would allow then to concentrate on their studies rather than worrying about taking part-time paid work to help reduce their debt," said Barry Stamp