NUT Survey on Debt & Tuition Fees

Wednesday, 10 November 2010 12:00 AM

A survey of over 900 NUT student and newly qualified teachers (NQTs) shows a staggering 88% of students are finding it difficult to make ends meet, while 49% are finding it either very difficult or impossible.

89% say that they believe there should be full public funding for student teachers and 84% say that the cost of taking a teacher training course would have influenced their decision to become a teacher. A further 65% of those surveyed are worried about managing their finances after qualifying as a teacher.

This shows very clearly that the coalition government's plans to raise tuition fees will have a direct impact on the number of students going into teaching. Many existing students feel that they would have been priced out of a higher education. Not surprisingly 80% oppose or strongly oppose the coalition government's plans.

Christine Blower General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers' union, said;

"No amount of window dressing can take away from the fact that the coalition Government's proposals for raising tuition fees will result in generations of young people being denied access to a university education on the grounds that they, or their families cannot countenance the debts with which they will be saddled.

"If higher education becomes the preserve of the wealthy it will be to the detriment of society. Ministers need to think again if we are to avoid shortfalls in recruitment to teacher training in the future."

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