Voiceover

In recent years, the increase in university tuition fees has become a worrying concern
for students who want to go to university. A report of the National Committee of
Inquiry into Higher Education showed that in 1997, it was agreed that the Government
could no longer afford the expansion of higher education because of other financial
arrangements. Student funding schemes came into practise in order to aid these
changes, so that students were still able to go to university. This meant that students
had to start contributing, up to £1000, to university tuition fees and accommodation,
depending on family income or their own income.

1990/91 was the introduction of the university student loan, which was included in the
student support plans and over the years the number of students taking out loans
quickly increased. The average student loan for these new students was £2,710 and
the total sum borrowed was £650 million. According to the National Office of
Statistics, in 1990/91, 3 in 10 eligible students had taken out student loans but by
1998 this had increase to more than 6 in 10 and the total public funding of higher
education institutions in England was around £4.7 billion. In 2007/08 the total number
of Fee Loans increased to 455,000 and their value to £1.3 billion. These student loans
were to be used towards course fees and accommodation, as grants were no longer
easy to get. However, tuition will continue to be free for students from lower income
families.

Students who take out loans only have to pay back these loans when they are
employed and have a salary of £20,000 upwards. These student loans also have a low
interest rate, so they are not paying back an excessive amount of interest on top of
their debt. Data from the Student Loans Company on take-up of Tuition Fee Loans
showed that 239,000 students from England and EU students at English institutions
took out such loans in 2006/07. By 2007/08 the maximum fees had increased to
£3,070. However, controversial issues have risen because of this; a rise in university
tuition fees means an increase in the amount of money borrowed to cover these costs.
Most students debate against a rise in university tuition fees.

We will be speaking to MPs such, as Margaret Hodge, who helped devise the plan of
contributing less towards university tuition fees and also the discussion on where the
money will be going to instead. Terry Justice, a vice chancellor of Dagenham and
Rainham, also talks about his views and opinions on this matter and a university
graduate gives her first- hand view of what it is like in university and what happens
when you finish. A university lecturer will also be talking with us about how he feels
about tuition fees and how this will affect students. We will also be catching with Noel
Otley, principal of Havering College of Further and Higher Education as well.