At least the Lib-Dems have 2 mp`s with principles!

[MrFrost]

What's with the insults Bob? Come on, a man with your intellect can do better surely. Come on Bob, you can do better than that.

[Mike_F]

I can see both sides of the coin here and would argue that there is certainly more than a degree (no pun intended!) of truth in Frosty's opinion of university as a fashion or lifestyle choice for many. There is also a case to be made for the quality of education and contribution made to society by those who use university as an institution for personal betterment. The problem is that the two have converged more so than ever before over the last decade or so and the effect of gaining a degree has been watered down with so many people now spending three years of their lives drinking, shagging and having a great old time then waving a piece of paper and placing letters after their names at the end of it. And I should know; I'm one of them!

I didn't really want to go to university at the age of 18. I was sick and tired of the education system and wanted to get out there and earn some money, buy a car, get on the property ladder and get stuck into a career. I have always lived somewhat in my brother's shadow academically speaking after he earned a string of top grades and tootled off to Oxford so I came under a great deal of pressure from my family to go and further my studies too. I caved in to the pressure, picked up a prospectus for Nottingham Trent and stumbled across a telling statistic: Female to male student ratio of roughly 3:2. Bingo.

At the time I was interested in pursuing a career in journalism so I picked a rather generic media related course (BA Communication Studies) and looked forward to my schedule of 6 hours per week in the lecture theatre with a further 4 hours or so of seminars. Of which I must've attended roughly 50% in my entire three year sojourn. The rest of the time was taken up with working in the Trent Bridge Inn and spending my wages back over the various bars of Nottingham, screwing a string of birds (of various merit!), sampling the city's restaurants and a couple of times a year when the loan cheque cleared, spending an evening at the casino.

I suppose I've always been fairly lucky inasmuch as I have managed to blag my way through life on a wing and a prayer so I duly \"earned\" myself a degree at the end of three years of fun. I really shouldn't be entitled to it in return for the lack of any sort of effort whatsoever but I've got my degree and so have thousands of others in a similar situation. Therein lies the problem with opening up higher education to the masses in order to meet government targets.

I am absolutely opposed to higher education becoming an elitist institution open to only those with the most financially priveleged upbringings. I do however believe that it should be shamelessly elitist in terms of admitting only those with the best academic achievements behind them.The funds saved could then be used to invest in the standards of state schools to ensure that gifted students stand a fair chance of attaining the grades necessary to earn their university places.

As a postscript I'd like to point out that during a conversation with my wife yesterday I said that I'd love the chance to take on further studies now. I have a thirst for knowledge and I know I'd really enjoy the reading necessary for a \"real\" degree or professional qualification. I certainly don't feel like I wasted my time at university as I had the most fantastic time there but I really didn't make anywhere near enough of the opportunity to expand my knowledge.

[Sheepskin Stu]

A heart warming tale Mike.

You're a decent chap with a wife and child so it's not all bad news.

Happiness is more important than any formal qualifications.

[Mike_F]

Thanks Stu, and very happy I am too. Now if only this bloody football team could find a bit of winning consistency....

[CusworthRovers]

big fat yorkshire pudding wrote:

Do some of you not understand the basis behind this policy?

I've seen comments saying this hits the working class, if anything it benefits the working class more than the richer people in society.  



Just step back from your political beliefs and look at the policy, it's a bloody good thing for those earning less than 20k after graduation that's for sure.

Do you really believe that the caring Tory party really root for the common working class man? As in them just announcing they are scrapping the EMA, which the earners of less than 16k get, to assist with education in the 6th form or college. You know, that cheeky little grant to help them get a better chance in education. I'm struggling to see the difference here ie scrap one and help the other (allegedly).

(not just for you this BFYP).....and speaking of education what the f**k is this £600 and odd quid to be given to schools with kids on low income, just to help them with extra tuition. Who says kids on low income are all thick like???

[MrFrost]

I wonder how many \"kids\" use it towards their education or use it to piss it up against the wall.
Maybe it should be replaced with some kind of vouchers that can be redeemed against education facilities?

[CusworthRovers]

Either way mate, we'll never know, as it's being taken away from next September. That was designed to help the poor kids in education, which makes it worrying when they say they are helping the poor kids in higher education

[Mike_F]

Again a valid point Mr F. The grant is there to help these kids stay on in education rather than dropping out of the system or feeling pressured into a low-paid job to help out with home bills etc. Vouchers to be redeemed against certain product categories in supermarkets to include food, stationery etc but exclude fags and booze would assist those in need. Of course there'd still be some enterprising little buggers flogging them for half face value and spending the 15 quid cash on fags and booze but you can't be all things to all men!

[CusworthRovers]

However, they aren't giving vouchers out are they

[Mike_F]

Nope. But the idea is a godd 'un. You could even get the big 4 supermarkets to sign up to part fund it and make it exclusively valid in their stores or summat.

[CusworthRovers]

Not a bad idea that. You could be the new Stuart 'The Brand' Briggs off The Apprentice.

[MrFrost]

Do they still have free bus passes for 6th formers? I heard some kid on the local radio saying he used his EMA to get to and from 6th form. When I went, i'm sure I had a free bus pass.

[bobjimwilly]

MrFrost wrote:

Do they still have free bus passes for 6th formers? I heard some kid on the local radio saying he used his EMA to get to and from 6th form. When I went, i'm sure I had a free bus pass.

I was in 6th form (college) from 2000-2002 and there were no free bus passes for us then.
Incidently, Doncaster was one of the few boroughs in the country trialling the EMA scheme when I was at college. Was quite funny as most of the kids at college were from North Lincolnshire and weren't entitled to anything  

[Dickie Dido]

When I was at Cambridge my Fag used to carry me everywhere. If he disobeyed orders he was held in front of the fire.
 Mind you that was in the good old days before the do-gooders banned fag smoking indoors.