Sunday, December 5, 2010

National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts Press Statement on Free Fees for Poorer Students and other appeasement politics



STATEMENT

National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts - Free fees for poorest students and other appeasement politics

London, 5th December 2010

After recent reports that government may ‘offer’ one year free university tuition to eligible students, the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts is denouncing this policy as a deceptive attempt at appeasement politics. With this latest move, the coalition has simultaneously betrayed its claim on the necessity of a tuition fee rise, and unveiled the confused and uninformed state of its decision-makers.Please find our latest press statement below.

The National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts stands for the principle of Free Education.We urge all those who oppose what the government is doing, including Opposition MPs and student and education representatives (NUS, UCU and further involved trade unions) to join us in a fight aimed not only at stopping a tuition fee rise, but for free  education for all! We condemn the coalition’s proposal on differentiating students’ rights for education on  the basis of parental wealth. Education is a right, not a privilege.At a time when many question the point of the student protests, we have seen theLiberal Democrats move flip flop, panicking in their own ranks – and now the government has amended its own proposals, seemingly overnight.
 
This is testament to the lack of real debate that has underpinned the policy-making process from the start.Once more, this government shows its intention to individualise and marketise Higher and Further Education in order to push a neo-liberal agenda, a policy which has failed repeatedly, disproportionately affecting underprivileged sectors of society.
 
The National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts provides speakers for exclusive interviews in the upcoming days and on the day of the vote in Parliament.
 
Feel Free to contact me anytime concerning these or any other matters.
 
Patrizia Kokot
 
Deputy Press Liaison
 
44 (0) 79 8299 7317
 
 

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