Having been a President of a Student's Union, and the first Union Officer to organise a mass lobby to the National Assembly against top-up fees, this issue shall always remain close to my heart- whatever my age. I am fundamentally opposed to top-up fees, as it does in fact price people out of education, and it creates a market of our education system.
We already see Vice Chancellor's in England wanting to push the fees up further from the current £3000, and research showing that the bursary scheme, which has been introduced to supposedly offset the top-up fee, is fraught with complications and is very ad hoc. In Wales of course, top-up fees were ruled out for Welsh domiciled students by the opposition parties, and it should remain so. Nevertheless this policy is up for review soon, which is why it galls me to read in Labour's Manifesto that there is no commitment on their behalf to rule out top up fees for Wales for the future.
Page 24 of Labour in Wales's Manifesto reads as follows:
'“The new funding arrangements that we have put in place for higher education and students from 2007/08 will support the sector in delivering for Wales. During a third term we will maintain this level of funding and monitor progress on widening access. We would anticipate reviewing these arrangements before the end of a third Assembly term.”
But over the border in Scotland, the Labour party, on Page 3 state:
' We will rule out top up fees in Universities for a third term'.
It seems that contrary to their Scottish colleagues, Labour in Wales are set upon pushing forward a regressive policy of top-up fees as they have purposely failed to rule out introducing such fees if they form a new Government in May. The Labour party have been very quiet of late on the whole issue of top-up fees and student funding, and they must hope that their page 24 pledge to review the situation will keep people happy! I am not so sure about that!
At the end of the day, the Russel Group of elite Universities want to increase fees to £7000. This group includes Cardiff University. If Labour wins an overall majority, Welsh students wanting to go to Cardiff could be faced with a hefty bill.
I hope that Student's Unions across Wales will take note of this, and prepare for a vigorous campaign ( again!) against top-up fees in Wales.
We already see Vice Chancellor's in England wanting to push the fees up further from the current £3000, and research showing that the bursary scheme, which has been introduced to supposedly offset the top-up fee, is fraught with complications and is very ad hoc. In Wales of course, top-up fees were ruled out for Welsh domiciled students by the opposition parties, and it should remain so. Nevertheless this policy is up for review soon, which is why it galls me to read in Labour's Manifesto that there is no commitment on their behalf to rule out top up fees for Wales for the future.
Page 24 of Labour in Wales's Manifesto reads as follows:
'“The new funding arrangements that we have put in place for higher education and students from 2007/08 will support the sector in delivering for Wales. During a third term we will maintain this level of funding and monitor progress on widening access. We would anticipate reviewing these arrangements before the end of a third Assembly term.”
But over the border in Scotland, the Labour party, on Page 3 state:
' We will rule out top up fees in Universities for a third term'.
It seems that contrary to their Scottish colleagues, Labour in Wales are set upon pushing forward a regressive policy of top-up fees as they have purposely failed to rule out introducing such fees if they form a new Government in May. The Labour party have been very quiet of late on the whole issue of top-up fees and student funding, and they must hope that their page 24 pledge to review the situation will keep people happy! I am not so sure about that!
At the end of the day, the Russel Group of elite Universities want to increase fees to £7000. This group includes Cardiff University. If Labour wins an overall majority, Welsh students wanting to go to Cardiff could be faced with a hefty bill.
I hope that Student's Unions across Wales will take note of this, and prepare for a vigorous campaign ( again!) against top-up fees in Wales.
2 comments:
Dwi'n gwbod ei fod hi'n anodd bod a unrhyw ffydd yn y Blaid Lafur i rhoi anghenion y dosbarth gweithiol ac anghenus cymdeithas yn gyntaf OND - petai yna blaid a hygrededd yn cynnig codi ffioedd dysgu ar rhai myfyrwyr - dwyt ti ddim yn derbyn y gall fod yn syniad da?
A derbyn dy fod ti a phlaid Cymru am aros gyda'r sustem economaidd bresennol, un tolc o bres sydd, a'i rannu a'i rheoli yn well na'r pleidiau eraill yw'r unig beth y gallwch ei addo i ni.
Fyddai ddim yn syniad da i'r hooray henrys (rhai sydd wedi o'u gwirfodd talu'n ddrud am addysg uwchradd er mwyn peidio bod efo plebs fel ni cofia) orfod talu yn ddrud am eu llefydd yn y Brifysgol er mwyn medru cynnig grantiau i fyfyrwyr o'n nghefndir i?
Mae'n rhaid i ti unai neud y fath yma o gyfaddawd, neu fod o blaid chwyldro economaidd a sustem economaidd amgenach.
Mae’r egwyddor I ni fel Plaid yn un syml. Dylai cynnydd academaidd fod ar sail gallu addysgiadol a nid y gallu i dalu. Mae hwn yn egwyddor sylfaenol sy’n gefn i bolisi y Blaid ar y mater yma.
Fel rhywun sy’n credu mewn creu cymdeithas mwy cyfartal dw i methu cyfaddawdu ar hwn, gan byddai creu system addysg ‘two tier’ yn tanseilio unrhyw gobaith o greu cymdeithas cydradd.
Mae polisiau plaid Cymru yn gryf o blaid ail ddosbarthu cyfoeth. Byddai cyflwyno ffioedd cyflenwi/ atodol yn mynd yn groes I hyn yn llwyr.
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