Graduation and Tax
I have finally got my results. I got a 2:1 for all those that did not know already. Mid-range, and I am reasonably happy with it.
I also wanted to add my two cents on the new proposed Graduate Tax. I am not a fan of the idea to begin with. I think that university should be considered a service, and that everyone receives this service equally and should pay equally for it. I have no real objection to fees going up, although them being too high would cause some concern, with the proviso that more help was offered.
I think that the basic loan should be higher. Much higher.
Give students the option of a loan up to, say, £8000 a year. Then tuition fees on top of that. It is a loan that almost all will pay back anyway, and it will allow students (adults) to live more comfortably without parental assistance.
I despise that for four years as an adult my income was still based on that of my parents. Why? I am an adult trying to provide for myself.
The counter argument is that students are expected to work in the summer and weekends. If so, then why could I not claim jobseekers when I could not find a job? And adults in full time work (I consider full time university to be the equivalent to full time work) who earn little are not told to go get another job at the weekend.
And to sum it up, I do not like the idea of subsidising lazy or stupid people doing degrees that they should not at institutions that probably should not exist. Why should I pay higher taxes (graduate tax would almost certainly be linked to income)so that someone can spend 3 years going out and putting in 4 hours a week in tourism studies, or whatever other daft degrees there are out there.
nb. Most students work hard, this is not aimed at anyone I personally know. It is just an example and an argument.
-
Mark