Graduates should ‘pay more for degrees’

Posted 09 Sep 2010

Universities minister David Willetts has stated that graduates should contribute more towards their degrees as this is preferable to reducing student numbers.

Mr Willetts was addressing the Universities UK annual conference in Bedfordshire today (September 9th).

However, he did not say whether he favours an increase in tuition fees or a graduate tax, where the highest earners will have to pay more towards their degrees.

Mr Willetts told the universities' vice-chancellors: "What would not make sense would be to fail to increase the contribution from graduates, with the result that then we jeopardise the student experience or end up having to make big cuts in student numbers."

This would let young people down, he added.

This could mean that graduates end up in more debt when they leave university and if someone wishes to avoid this they could take a TEFL course instead.

Taking a TEFL course could lead to a future career in education as it trains people to teach English abroad.

Universities UK warned yesterday (September 8th), that a two-tier higher education system could develop if fees are increased. Only the elite will be able to afford to attend university full-time, it claimed.
 

Category: Teaching and Learning