Bargain

[MarillionFan]

It's 2014. Unless you want to be a doctor or a rocket scientist, there's no need to go to University to get an education.

There's always Starfleet.

[MarillionFan]

I hate to say it but at some point you've got to blame the parents. How does someone get that feckless?

There was a guy kicked out on my course. Being the first time away from home and the first time with a girlfriend he spent the first term banging her brains out from dusk till dawn and then failing to turn up at all as he was too tired and noone to wake them up. I'd once turn that for a ten day period on holiday but eventually the novelty wore off and our genitals were so sore we had to give it a rest.

I always wondered how he worded it to his parents

[SpontaneousOrder]

It's 2014. Unless you want to be a doctor or a rocket scientist, there's no need to go to University to get an education.

[doodab]

It ceases to be free in the circumstances of Sons housemate, who has only just revealed that he was kicked out of university 3 months ago, for the third and final time, and barely a month after his dad coughed up £9k in fees because he was no longer entitled to a student loan (having been kicked out twice already.)

I hate to say it but at some point you've got to blame the parents. How does someone get that feckless?

[DaveB]

Cos if they lend you the money and you don't have to pay it back it's free, innit?

I have heard that theory advanced, now you mention it.

It ceases to be free in the circumstances of Sons housemate, who has only just revealed that he was kicked out of university 3 months ago, for the third and final time, and barely a month after his dad coughed up £9k in fees because he was no longer entitled to a student loan (having been kicked out twice already.)

[VectraMan]

I think higher education should only be for those who can afford to pay. Free education sets the wrong expectations that all people are equal. They are not. By paying for it then only the rich or those willing to work harder to pay for it will be educated and we will be able to reverse the horrible entitlement culture the poor have got used to.

That implies everybody is free to get a free higher education, which isn't true as long as there's entrance criteria. If you make it pay only, the danger is it'll only be rich thickos attending university.

I see this both ways. On the one hand, education can only be a positive thing, and it seems rather foolish to discourage young people from furthering their education by lumbering them with huge debts at the start of their life. On the other, it isn't fair on the majority to have the government subsidising 18-21 year olds dossing around for 3 years if it doesn't ultimately result in them making an added contribution later on.

[Flashman]

Surprise, surprise! Thanks for setting our earning expectations low, BBC. I think that higher education should be free, with very stringent entry and performance criteria. But then it would be non PC, so I better shut up.

I agree with Mos

The whole expansion of Higher Education was a scam from the start.

The Universities wrote a succession of reports in the 1990's claiming there would be a massive demand for graduates in the future. Evidence there was none. Although the CBI as usual agreed with the 'experts' The Government of the day fell for it. And so University education was massively expanded.

Universities sat back and enjoyed the extra jobs, promotions and general Empire building that went with all that extra cash.

[doodab]

What I can't understand, working as I do at the blunt end of Eyer Egumakashen, is why anyone would pay £9k / year & then not bother to attend.

It seems little short of lunatic to me.

Cos if they lend you the money and you don't have to pay it back it's free, innit?

[doodab]

I think higher education should only be for those who can afford to pay. Free education sets the wrong expectations that all people are equal. They are not. By paying for it then only the rich or those willing to work harder to pay for it will be educated and we will be able to reverse the horrible entitlement culture the poor have got used to.

You forgot to login as DA

[MarillionFan]

Surprise, surprise! Thanks for setting our earning expectations low, BBC. I think that higher education should be free, with very stringent entry and performance criteria. But then it would be non PC, so I better shut up.

I think higher education should only be for those who can afford to pay. Free education sets the wrong expectations that all people are equal. They are not. By paying for it then only the rich or those willing to work harder to pay for it will be educated and we will be able to reverse the horrible entitlement culture the poor have got used to.

[mos]

BBC News - More student loans won't be repaid, government believesNice work that.

Surprise, surprise! Thanks for setting our earning expectations low, BBC. I think that higher education should be free, with very stringent entry and performance criteria. But then it would be non PC, so I better shut up.

[doodab]

BBC News - More student loans won't be repaid, government believes

Around 45% of university graduates will not earn enough to repay their student loans, the government now believes.

If the figure reaches 48.6% experts calculate that the government will lose more money than it gained by increasing fees in England to £9,000 a year.

Nice work that.