Politicians: do they ever think of us?

by Charlie Lindlar

When a young, aspiring Tony Blair was elected Prime Minister in 1997, his priorities were famously: “Education, education, education.” However, even in those years, plans to make students pay for their own education were in place.

It was not until Labour were re-elected in 2001 that the subject became serious. With the introduction of tuition fees in 2003, the landscape of higher education changed. At the same time that the Government was trying to increase the number of A-Level students applying to university (up towards 50 per cent), the idea of tuition fees appeared only to work against that aim.

As the politicians were from a generation that benefitted from free education, many criticised the plans to introduce the fee system. With all the emphasis on helping students and increasing the number of university graduates, student votes and issues since then have somehow become some of the least recognised.

Recession’s toll

This is very rarely discussed in the Houses of Parliament, but students have a certain number of complaints, with lots of them finding that after they have completed their degrees, the time and money invested wasn’t worth the experience gained, or that their degrees can’t help them in finding a job. In 2009, the Guardian reported that the percentage of students who were unemployed for over six months after graduating was 7.9 per cent, a rise from 5.5 per cent the year before.

Since then, the country has been feeling the effects of the recession, and this has made student living even harder. Firstly, students have less money to maintain themselves, with many being unable to find part-time jobs. Secondly, once they graduate it is hard to find jobs as many companies are reducing graduate recruitment. With companies not employing graduates in the field that they’ve studied for the past few years, it is often an easier option for students to remain in education rather than try to find a full-time job.

Given the circumstances, it seems unreasonable that government advisors suggest that the cap on tuition fees should be removed. However, BBC News reported last month that economic advisors believe the cap affects competition between universities. If the cap were to be removed and universities started charging what they wish, surely there would be fewer students applying and competition between institutions wouldn’t exist.

This confusing paradox represents only one of many problems with student life that seem to be pushed to the background. For this year’s election, the National Union of Students opened a campaign to aid students ­­in choosing the right candidates and highlighting the key issues for students, but when it came to policies, there is still much to work on, if a party wants to win the student vote.

Out of the three main parties, the Liberal Democrats were the only party to actively speak against tuition fees over the past few years. The question then is why are student issues never at the forefront of political discussion? Students are a large group of the voting public, and often some of the most outspoken and opinionated. In addition, many areas are saturated with students due to campus universities. It could be argued that the student vote may be key to deciding who wins local seats. So why does there appear to be very little effort from politicians to seduce students into voting for their party?

Deadlock?

Perhaps it is just a case of other priorities overriding the concerns of students. Alternatively, it could be that different sectors of society are getting their turn to be in the limelight, before students become the focus once more. There are always a number of independent advice boards reporting on student finance, and before this election both Labour and the Tories were waiting on the results of another comittee’s findings before commenting on their stance on university tuition fees and whether the cap should be removed or just raised.

Other than tuition fees and the multiple crises that they have caused within the higher education system, not a huge amount has changed for students under the Labour government. If anything, it is more important for us to look at the issues facing students in the future. In the wake of the General Election, it is of crucial importance to look and see how the lives of UAL students and others across the country will change further.

For example, the aforementioned advice boards continue to promote the raising or even scrapping of the tuition fee cap. It is a well-known fact that most universities would love to raise the fees. The money could go towards upgrading and building new facilities, paying for more, well-trained staff and generally creating a better student experience. However, it is clear that as almost all students leave university with five figures of debt, how much further could it be stretched whilst still maintaining the same rate of school leavers wanting to apply to university.

Possible protest

The NUS is strongly opposed to any change in the payment system as it stands, and it is highly likely that if the cap was removed and if universities were to increase their tuition fees, current students would be very tempted to protest, along with lecturers and prospective students. Let’s not forget either that some students have parents, and some of them might be a little bit more than worried at the state of their children’s education.

Ultimately it is in the best interests of students to think positively. While not a lot of positive change may have come to students’ lives through politics in recent times, perhaps something will in the next five years. Maybe we will all get a chance to rejoice as we return to free education, as unlikely as that is, or perhaps there will be some new innovation to ease the strains we all feel from the pressure of university life. Either way, as we head into a new mini-era of politics, let’s hope that our financial worries are finally attended to.