Britain: Poorer student numbers fall as tuition fees are hiked up

The government dismissed the decline, saying that the figures indicated a “strong performance” in terms of student enrolment. In reality, figures show that the percentage of students going to university from poor families has fallen drastically along with the overall number from all state schools.

It is estimated that just 17 percent of university students are from working class backgrounds, a decrease of three percent in less than two years.

According to a recent survey by the Universities Marketing Forum, 47 percent of sixth formers questioned said that inability to afford fees was likely to put them off taking a degree course. A Higher Education Funding Council report said teenagers in more affluent areas had a better than 50 percent chance of going to university, while the odds fall to 1 in 10 for those in the poorest neighbourhoods.

Under the new system, students have to pay back the £3,000-a-year fees when they begin earning anything above the sum of £15,000 per annum. With many having to take out additional loans for living expenses, recent estimates calculate that students will leave university saddled with debts of between £15,000 and £33,000.

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http://wsws.org/articles/2006/dec2006/univ-d27.shtml