Tuition Fees! A Call to Mobilise for the Youth

Michál Harkin
Sheena Campbell Cumann
Ógra Shinn Féin

The recent decision by Stormont to allow the increase of Student fees in line with inflation is yet another devastating blow to the Students of the North of Ireland.

The fees, ‘capped’ at £3000, now stand at £3145. For students from disadvantaged areas, this could mean the end to their hopes and aspirations of a degree. Sinn Féin Assembly member for West Belfast Sue Ramsey who is the Chairperson of the Assembly Employment and Learning Committee said,

"The majority of the parties opposed Student Fees in their election manifestos and many indeed called for their abolition. On this basis it is incumbent on us to oppose any increase in Student Fees."

"Reg Empey may have pointed to some review in the future yet he provided no detail about how this review can deliver for our young people and no indication about how he will tackle the negative impact that Students Fees is having, particularly as a barrier to students from poorer backgrounds. He won't even admit it is a problem."

But where is all this money going? Research seems to be the byword of every Higher Education Authority across this Island.

In the South, where the government and private companies fund the Universities, then by all rights the universities must produce what they are being paid to do.

But what happens when, as is the case in the North, students are paying the University to provide them with a degree, but the University uses their money to fund their own research.

I believe the day is coming fast when students who have had lectures, tutorials and classes cancelled, will be requesting refunds from universities who’s greed and selfishness continues to spiral out of control.

Let’s campaign for what we need, a higher education system that works with the student’s, for the student’s, not a corporate image.

Ógra Shinn Féin is against Student fees, has always been against fees, and always will be against fees.

Education is a right, not the preserve of the privileged few!