Tuition Fees In England

Tuition Fees In England English universities are well-known throughout the world for their excellence. Yet, in less than twenty years, Higher Education was reformed. Before 1988, Local Education Authorities was in charge of Higher Education, its funding, its functioning, and of students grants of its area. The adoption of the 1988 Education Act under Margaret Thatchers government marked the beginning of long series of reforms. The last to date made the headline news because of the students manifestations which followed from the bill. Indeed from 1998 to nowadays, the issue deals with the tuition fees a fee paid for instruction its legitimacy and its price. This issue is largely controversial even within the Labour party. Why such shift for prestigious Higher Education system? How the Higher Education was reformed? Why did students manifestations follow from the bill? To figure it out, we are going to focus at first on the creation of a new system in order to then analyse the rising of tuitions fees and the students protest and finally we are going to analyse the new students hardships. The creation of a new system a cost sharing system 1998 : Turning point 1998 marked a turning point in the history of English education the Local Education Authorities no longer covered the student scholar fees (ten years before, in 1988) and the students were then involved in the payment of fees for their study. Indeed, in 1996 the government commissioned a report on the funding of the Higher Education that is to say, how Higher Education should develop to meet the needs of the UK over the next 20 years. The National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education was chaired by Sir Ronald Dearing Chancellor of the University of Nottingham. The report was published in 1997 and it stated that more than  £2 billion would be needed to adapt the Higher Education to the new demands (increasing numbers of students) and needs. The solution proposed was made up with a hundred recommendations. The most important one was the participation of the student on the payment of their own study. The report praised the introduction of the means-tested tuition fees based on familys income. The 1998 Teaching and Higher Education Act was the governmental response to this report. It was enacted under Tony Blairs government. It introduced the means tested tuition fees as follows: Student whose family income was inferior to  £23,000 per year would not pay tuition fees. Student whose family income was situated between  £23,000 and  £35,000 would pay a percentage fees in function of their means. The tuition fees would be  £1,000 per academic year. By setting this mean testing system, 1/3 of students would not have to pay tuition fees. Yet, the maintenance grants (grants to help students with the living costs) would be replaced by maintenance loans. Students would begin to pay off their loans when they would work and earn at least  £10,000 per year. It met little active opposition from students. But this act created debate within the Labour party itself, some members of the party were strict opponent to the end of the Free Higher Education. Reason of introduction of tuition fees But why did the government need to implement such a system? The major reason was the lack of funding in Higher Education. In less than 20 years the Higher Education shifted from an elite system to a mass system. Indeed, the number of students going to university rose from 6% to around 33% between 1962 and 1996. So, universities have to adapt their infrastructures, equipment, and by consequence they needed money. Moreover, the aim of the government was to make it more accessible for all students from all backgrounds with the introduction of mean testing tuition fees. Creation of top up fees In 2004 another measure would be adopted by the Labour Party. Despite the former act which created the tuition fees up to  £1,000, Tony Blairs government concluded that the funding of Higher Education was not enough. In this sense, the Labour Party proposed another act in 2004, The Higher Education Act. It enabled universities to set their own tuition fees depending on their own needs of funding: it was called top up fees. It could go up to  £3,000 per academic year. These tuition fees could be pay at the end of the degree, it would take the form of a loan student would pay off this loan when he would have a job and earn more than  £15,000 per year. The debt would be written off after 25 years. Another feature was the reintroduction of the maintenance grants in order to help the poorest students (yet students could win private bursaries through the universities competitive). The main objections of the opponents were the expensive fees which created pressure upon students, and they estimated the variable fees as the form of privatisation of Higher Education. Those measures were a first step to higher education reform. The government was going to take further measures in the forthcoming years. Tuition fees rising and students protest The investigation By November 2009, Gordon Browns government launched a new investigation on Higher Education; it would be a review on fees and university funding. It was chaired by Lord Browne of Madingley and composed of some Vice-Chancellor of Universities such as David Eastwood and Julia King. The Independent Review of The Higher Education Funding and Finance was published on October 2010. It established few principles such as more investment for Higher Education, fair access to all, affordable payments, same treatment for part-time students as full-time students, and underlined that no one should have to pay loans until they start to work. In order to respect those principles, the major proposals were the following ones: Universities could charge any fees it seemed necessary, there would be no cap the up-front fees were removed and replaced by tuition fees loans No means testing maintenance loans and additional financial support for poorest families (under  £60,000) which would be paid back only when the graduate would have an income of at least  £21,000 per year. If the graduates work stops whatever the reason the repayment stops. The debts would be written off after 30 years. The government proposal Meanwhile, the government passed from a labour government to a coalition one with the election of David Cameron as Prime Minister and Nick Clegg as Deputy Prime Minister in May 2010. The government proposal to the Browne Report responded on November 2010 and it included several features. The main one was the rejection of the Brownes proposal to remove the tuition fees cap, and government proposed to cap the tuition fees to  £9,000 per year. As for loans, government aligned itself with the Browne recommendations by declaring that students would begin to pay off once they would earn between  £15,000 and  £21,000. The MPs had to vote if they agreed or not on this proposal by December. The new elected Liberal Democrat had been pledged to the National Union of Students to not increase the tuition fees before being elected. Once the report was published, Nick Clegg, leader of Liberal Democrats, claimed that the Browne Report could be fair and sustainable. While the coalition government allowed the Liberal Democrats to abstain the vote on this issue, Nick Clegg wrote to his MPs I am painfully aware of the pledge we all made to voters on tuition fees ahead of the general election. Departing from that pledge will be one of the most difficult decisions of my political career. He was going to break his pledge. This bill sparked off some waves of demonstrations throughout the entire country. Students riots On November, 10th, students began to demonstrate against the government bill, and showed their anger towards the expensive rate of fees. It was organized by the National Union of Students (NUS) and the University and College Union (UCU) prior to the government vote in order to convince MPs to not vote in favour of the bill. Those demonstrations took place in several cities such as Cambridge, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ but the most important one set up in London. The march in London was composed of more than 50,000 persons, but was overshadowed by violence. Indeed, the demonstration turned into a violent riot when some demonstrators began to attack the headquarters of the Conservative Party breaking some windows and burning some Nick Cleggs and David Camerons effigies on the roof of the building. David Cameron answered to the media that he would not change his mind on this bill and denounced the extreme violence of this riot. Another march was organized on November 2010, 24th by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC). Taking into consideration the event of November, 10th the Metropolitan Police deployed more than 1,000 policemen throughout London. This time, this protest turned into a violent clash between policemen and protesters. On December, 9th, date of the governmental vote, another protest happened in Trafalgar Square. More than clashes between policemen and rioters, this time some protestors attacked a Royal car transporting Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. The couple was not injured by the attack. To understand why this protest turned into a violent riot, one has to understand the impact of such a measure on students lifestyle. New students hardships Students indebted All those changes in less than 20 years largely impacted students lifestyle. The tuitions fees are extremely expensive, and could be a curb on students choice to go or not at university. Students have to choose between being in debt or to abandon the idea of studying. This is an important feature to take into account especially for the poorest students. According to The push universities guide (a British organisation which informs students on higher education), the average student debts could hit  £53,000 for the students starting their course in 2012. For those who started courses in 2011, it was estimated at  £26,100. The largest students indebted are the Londoners. It is easily understandable considering the expensive cost of living in the city. For example, a student who wants to pass a degree will have to pay  £27,000 just to have access to universities (if the university charges  £9,000), then will be in debt of more than  £28,000 (the inflation has to be taken into account). If the graduate begins to work and has an income of  £19,000, it is estimated that the student will pay off during 30 years before the debt would be written off. So, the student would have paid back around 67% of his debt. If the graduate has an income of  £25,000, he will pay off his debt during 18 years. The internal government figures reveal that only one quarter of students will be able to pay off their debt. Therefore, the majority of indebted student will never be able to pay off their loans. If the estimation turns to be accurate, it would underline a huge issue in the created system (millions of pounds would be lost) as well as the inefficiency of the measure taken. Several difficulties Students have to cope with others difficulties such as the need for a job. The number of full-time students with jobs rose by 54% in the last 10 years stated the Trades Union Congress in 2006. Most of students have to take part time jobs in order to survive because their families cannot afford the cost of the student life and because the maintenance loans do not offer enough money. 61 % of the students who have a part time job come from family with poor background. The average hours of a part time job for a student are 14 hours per week. Such an amount of hours have clearly an impact on their studies: they often miss classes, lectures, which lead to poorer attainments than the others students. Furthermore, those students have less leisure time, less social life than the other students. This phenomenon is not very different from France but the majority of students do not have the financial pressure of beginning their life with such an amount of loans. Moreover, by creating such a financial pressure, the students choice about his job would depend on this income (in order to be able to repay his debt and to afford a high standard of living). Some jobs might be abandoned by the graduates because of their salaries, and could create a new societal problem. Another feature is that students could not give up after a year to reorientate towards another course of study an academic year can cost up to  £9,000 to choose a wrong course of study can be very expensive. To sum up, Higher Education underwent some mains shifts by the last decades, and the end is not yet in sight. Tuitions fees are still a burning issue. Indeed the reforms come into force only this year, in September 2012, that is the reason why we cannot analyse yet the real impact on the society and also there are only estimations. But some shortcomings already appear such as the inefficiency of the Student Loan system, which could lead to another social problem: if the majority of students would not be able to pay off their debts, who would reimburse it? Moreover, after the breaking pledge of Nick Clegg on the rising of tuition fees he recognized and apologized publicly in the media only on September 2012 the deputy prime minister went down in the opinion polls. Sources http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=409011 http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/nov/10/student-protest-fees-violent http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuition_fees_in_the_United_Kingdom http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/only-a-quarter-of-all-graduates-will-pay-off-loans-2158168.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/5302082.stm http://www.3s4.org.uk/drivers/changing-student-lifestyle http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2004/jan/27/tuitionfees.students http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8057871/Grants-loans-and-tuition-fees-a-timeline-of-how-university-funding-has-evolved.html http://www.ifs.org.uk/wps/wp1004.pdf http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11954333 http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/nov/24/student-school-pupils-protests-walkout http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11877034

Environmental Air Pollution :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My views of the environment are rooted in my belief in creation. I do not believe that life on earth began spontaneously, nor do I believe that the earth is so delicately balanced. I don’t believe that the earth and its ecosystem are fragile. Many radical environmentalists do, they believe man can come along, all by themselves and change everything for worse. After hundreds of millions of years, they believe that we are the last two generations of human existence. And they think we can destroy the earth all by ourselves?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I simply cannot believe this view of man and his works. I refuse to believe that people, which is also a result of Creation, can destroy the best creation in the universe. Although some arrogant radical scientists believe that they are capable of unlocking every door of the universe and above all else, capable of understanding it, it is a fact that there are some things in this world that man just can’t understand, and cannot understand, and we must accept these things in faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This one small planet has the conditions that are necessary for life and is perfectly placed in our solar system. If we were placed a little further from the sun, we would be a really big ice cube. If we were a little closer, we would be roasting in one big oven. And the placement of the Earth is not by chance, it was placed here for a reason.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We humans had nothing to do with earth’s creation, nor did we have anything to do with it’s placement or it’s functioning. We are only a part of it. We are as much part of it as the Spotted Owl, which is a bird. But environmentalists picture humans as a natural enemy of nature. According to them, we are capable of destroying earth merely by being ourselves. I also don’t understand how these â€Å"scientists† of whom which say we are powerful enough to destroy earth, can also say we are no better than a frog. Unfortunately for them, this is what they believe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They seem to think that all life forms on the planet, other than humans, peacefully exist together. They think that humans destroy. Most animals and insects depend on each other for food and do not peacefully co-exist.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We could not destroy the earth even if we wanted to. The earth is over 4 billion years old.

Mending Wall: Poem Analysis Essay

Stone. Hunter. Wall. Savage. These are all words that are used to describe the speaker and his neighbor. Are these words that you would use to describe your neighbor? To describe yourself? Robert Frost is bringing up the subject of two neighbors talking in the springtime. In his poem, â€Å"Mending Wall,† Robert Frost writes: â€Å"Good fences make good neighbors†. There are two tones in this poem. One tone is the narrator’s view point and the other is the neighbor’s. The theme of the story is walls and confusion. I will analyze the following four elements; repetition, metaphor, imagery, and alliteration. The first element I found was repetition. Repetition is when words or collections of words are repeated. In his poem, â€Å"Mending Wall,† Robert Frost writes: â€Å"Something there is that doesn’t love a wall.† (1). It contributes to the theme because the wall keeps people separated. The next poetic element is imagery. Imagery is a word or sequence of words that refers to any sensory experience. In his poem, â€Å"Mending Wall,† Robert Frost writes: â€Å"Oh, just another kind of outdoor game.† (21).It contributes to the theme because like football two teams are on opposite sides. The third poetic element I found was metaphor. A metaphor is a statement that one thing is another, which is literally not true. In his poem, â€Å"Mending Wall,† Robert Frost writes: â€Å"He is all pine and I am apple orchard.† (24). This metaphor compares the speaker to an apple and the neighbor to a pine tree. It contributes to the tone because both tones of the lines are discussed in the poem. Another poetic element I found was repetition. Repetition is when words or collections of words are repeated. In his poem, â€Å"Mending Wall,† Robert Frost writes: â€Å"The wall between us.† (14).It contributes to the theme because the wall is between them.

My Impressions From Hills Like White Elephants - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1704 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/05/31 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Hills Like White Elephants Essay Did you like this example? Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway, is a short story that takes place in a train station surrounded by hills, fields, and trees in a valley in Spain. In this story, therers a young couple, a girl named Jig and an American man. They are dealing with the debate of an abortion. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "My Impressions From Hills Like White Elephants" essay for you Create order Although the relationship between the two is unsure of and they arent married, yet they have continued a relationship which resulted in Jig becoming pregnant. It seems that the couple are travelers who stop in different cities before moving onto the next. However, to the reader, their relationship could play out as being shallow. They have a conversation which gives hints of many clues about them and their relationship. Based on the story, we get a sense of what the characters are like, through what they say, and also through the things they dont say. First, in the story, we understand that the American man has money and he is an adult because he seems to know what he is doing and doesnt want to have a child. Therefore, he is asking his girlfriend to risk her life by having an abortion. The death rate for the surgery was higher than its survival rate at the time, so that made him seem very selfish. Throughout the story it seems as if he doesnt care about her, despite the fact that he says well, I care about you. (Hemingway, 255), yet, he doesnt even listen to her. When she speaks to him, he says unrelated things back. We can assume that he likes to go drinking and doesnt care because he wants to get her drunk, which could possibly lead to a miscarriage. Also, from his comment Ive known lots of people that have done it, (Hemingway, 255) we can assume that hers been in this situation before in many relationships with other teenage girls, and hers comfortable with what hers asking for. Secondly, the woman who is called Jig in the story, barely has an identity. Therers no absolute answer to know where she is from or if she has a family around. We can tell that she is a teenager depending on a careless man, who she think she is deeply in love with. Although, itrs clear from her words, and if I do it youll be happy and things will be like they were and youll love me? (Hemingway, 255), that she is lonely and a desperate girl whors still searching for love and happiness. Although, she knows she will never have it. Thatrs why itrs obvious from her reply, I dont care about me, (Hemingway, 255), that she is depressed, and even ready to give up by agreeing to the abortion. However, the word abortion isnt found in the story. It is understood by the use of Hemingways choice of literacy elements, which were setting and imagery/symbolism. The entire focus of this story is Jig being pregnant, and the topic of abortion being brought up throughout the different scenes and images Hemingway introduces. Hemingways purpose in creating the character of Jig was probably reflective on his feelings on abortion to an extent. However, it can also seem like a look at human nature, about how we go against ourselves and do something undesired just to please someone else. The man known as, The American, is the only logical antagonist in the story. Hemingways portrayal of him is not good at all versus his portrayal of Jig. He comes off as being insensitive to Jigs feelings, despite his kind words. As the reader, different opinions that Hemingway portrayed the man as, leads us to believe that he is someone who is putting his own needs first. He didnt even get a proper first name in the story, while Jig does. From the first paragraph, the setting immediately introduces the tense atmosphere that will reflect the rest of the story. The story takes place in Spain and although the time period is never stated, it can be assumed to be around 1927. The first use of imagery is in Hemingways introduction of the setting of the story, The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun. The American and the girl with him sat at a table in the shade, outside the building. It was very hot and the express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes. It stopped at this junction for two minutes and went to Madrid. Just like the two rail lines that passed by the station, there were only two choices and two directions in which the couple had to decide as they seemed to be in the middle of making a desperate decision. She seemed to care highly about the man, to the point where she as a character, i s torn between two decisions. The landscapes and surroundings of the station play a fundamental role in the story through its broad symbolism. When the girl sees the long and white hills she says that they look like white elephants. A white elephant is a metaphor for an expensive possession that is a financial burden to maintain. It comes to the conclusion that the color white symbolizes the purity and innocence of her child that is not born yet. She also thinks highly of the rest of the scenery, The girl stood up and walked to the end of the station. Across, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the bank of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the trees It seems that the fields of grains and trees represent fertility and fruitfulness. The Ebro River could also represent life, as it develops the fields. As the girl appreciates the scenery and its connection to her unborn child the shadow of a cloud, which represents the thought of the abortion, overcomes her happiness. The man is obviously in favor of the abortion, as everything he says is persuading her into it. Its really an awfully simple operation, Jig. he said. Its not really an operation at all, (Hemingway, 255). Ill go with you and Ill stay with you all the time. They just let the air in and then its all perfectly natural (Hemingway, 255). As Jig think s about her point of view, she looks at the dry side of the valley, which is infertile and unproductive, which could symbolize her body after the abortion. The man and woman argue and soon stop when she says, Would you please please please please please please please please stop talking? (Hemingway, 257). He said nothing, but looked at the bags against the wall at the train station. There were labels on them from all of the hotels the two had spent their long nights at. The American apparently wants this abortion because he is not mentally ready for a child and he wants to still live his life as carefree as possible until he actually decides itrs time to grow up. Itrs safe to say that he doesnt want to give up the lifestyle hers now living. His uplifting spirit is shown through the bags with all the hotel labels on them. He realizes that he would have to settle down and be ready to raise a baby along with having a healthy relationship, which would mean putting an end to seeing the fun-world and going out drinking. Their lifestyle would not be possible with a baby, or at least it would be difficult during this time, with their state of mind.. Therefore, the man thinks an abortion is the best solution. This is very much clear due to his general affirmations of an abortion or operation being an easy and simple process, and that things will be as they were after it is carried out. His comments of I dont want anyone but you and I dont want anyone else il lustrate his desire to keep their relationship at it is by not introducing a child into their life. Jig has obvious doubts, but she goes along with it for the sake of continuing their lifestyle that they are accustomed too. As the story ends with the couple expecting their trains arrival, there is no decision addressed regarding the abortion. Hemingways combination of the two literacy elements, setting and imagery helps him provide the reader with plenty details in each sentence. Itrs seems like Hemingway intentionally wanted to leave off in a matter that the readers could come to an conclusion of what will go on next. Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway was by far one of the best stories that I enjoyed reading. Looking beyond the text in this story required critical thinking that was quite interesting. The use of images throughout the story reflects on the couples situation in every aspect. The author employs images that required the reader to think beyond the text and realize what some young couples went through in the 1920s. Although the couples relationship played out as being shallow throughout the story, I feel that the abortion did take place because of his selfish and immature mindset. SInce he wants to live his best life at the moment, Jig will most likely want to join him and do what pleases him. Works Cited Page The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. Google Books, books.google.com/books?hl=enlr=id=JRlpDQAAQBAJoi=fndpg=PT50dq=The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: The Hemingway Library Editionots=1QBp0dLzh2sig=mA5l4JylQY6GYveGMpMiq84taQg#v=onepageq=The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: The Hemingway Library Editionf=false. Hills Like White Elephants Literary Analysis | Machetemag | Customer Experience, Culture, Strategy. Machetemag, 4 Feb. 2015, www.machetemag.com/literary-analysis/hills-like-white-elephants-literary-analysis/. Hashmi, Nilofer. ?Hills Like White Elephants: The Jilting of Jig. The Hemingway Review, The Hemingway Foundation and Society, 9 Mar. 2004, muse.jhu.edu/article/52914. Hemmingways Hills Like White Elephants Literature Review. Anthony Moschella III, 18 Apr. 2013, anthonymoschella.wordpress.com/essays/hills/.