The idea
You Talk, They Listen is a series of events we’re hosting at universities around the UK – each focussing on the topics you care about most in the run-up to the election. On topics ranging from higher education, to freedom of speech, climate change and immigration – young people talk and politicians listen.
Rick Edwards, TV presenter and writer, will host each night – so you may get the chance to quiz him on his new book, None of the Above, on why young people aren’t voting and why they should be.
Topic:
Does the current university fee structure work and is it fair?
Venue:
Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), 17 April 2015
Panel:
- Helen Pidd, northern editor, Guardian
- Julian Coman, assistant editor, national and international news, the Observer
- Pura Ariza, senior lecturer in education, MMU. University and College Union (UCU) branch secretary, UCU North West, regional secretary
- Brendan Murden, managing director of CEL leadership and change ltd. Former teacher and Ofsted inspector.
Chair:
Rick Edwards
Five top demands on tuition fees and student life
1) The current system isn’t working: Jen Adamson, education officer at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) student union, kicked the evening off by saying there’s a growing consensus that the introduction of £9,000 fees was a mistake. Students and young people have been let down by politicians, she said. Pura Ariza agreed, saying that the introduction of tuition fees – and the trebling of them – is a disgrace and we need to keep the cost of education on the political agenda. Julian Coman pointed out that the system is unsustainable as high numbers of students will not earn enough to pay their loan back. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to pay off my debts,” said one student. “I’d have to be earning a massive amount.”
2) Give us value for money: With increased fees students want to feel that they are getting value for money – and they are not always getting it, according to our audience. “As a humanities student I have fewer contact hours than my friend who studies physics,” said one student. “So I don’t feel like I’m getting value for money.” Another audience member said that they had to drop out of university because their lecturers were not giving them the support they needed and they were not getting anything of value out of their degree. Julian Coman pointed out that students now see themselves as consumers and so the relationship between them and lecturers has changed.
3) Put a stop to the marketisation of higher education: “A culture has been created where students are consumers,” Brendan Murden said, “and if we’re really going to change things, we need to ditch that ideology.” Pura Ariza agreed, saying that higher education is being managed as if it’s a business that you can run like Tesco – but education doesn’t work like that. From the audience, Kieran Turner-Dave, Green Party candidate for Manchester Central, said that when you marketise education it undermines the whole purpose of it.
4) Living costs are too high: Students stressed the daily struggle to meet the costs of living while they are at university. “The pressure put on us is massive,” said one student, pointing out that there has been a rise in number of students going into the sex industry to survive. He also questioned whether the discussion around tuition fees is masking the issue of maintenance loans and grants. “We should support students who are in real debt now,” he said. Another student pointed out that education is not free at the point of use, because there are a lot of additional costs. And one said that they had no free time, because they had to take two jobs alongside studying.
5) Politicians must listen to students: Young people are politically engaged and want politicians to listen to them. “I’ve been hearing a lot about young people being apathetic, but I think that’s nonsense,” said Rick Edwards. One student said that she is politically engaged, but she is also fed up with politicians and wants to hear from one who actually knows what they are talking about. Finally Helen Pidd told the audience and young people: “I want to emphasise that you do have a lot of power – and you should use it.”
