Students' loans difficulties highlights nonsense of tuition fees

11.56.29am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 17th Aug 2006

Young Alliance Chair, Ian Parsley

Chair of the Alliance Party's youth wing, Cllr Ian James Parsley, has congratulated Northern Ireland's students and teachers on another excellent set of A-level results, and said the difficulties over applications for loans to cover tuition costs for this year's intake highlights the nonsense of tuition fees.

The North Down Councillor stated: "Once again we in Northern Ireland can be proud of our A-Level students, whose results are outstanding this year as always. It is important to remember also our teachers, whose hard work is essential to this ongoing success.

"However, the confusion over applications for loans to cover tuition fees risks taking the shine off these results for many young people. I am assured that the relevant authorities will do all they can to ensure that even students who missed the 30 June deadline will be able to register at University. But the system is complicated and there is a real possibility that some students may miss out.

"This whole issue only proves the nonsense of tuition fees. Those whose results indicate they are capable of gaining from the whole experience of University life should be entitled to it. In a society where debt is an increasing problem for so many people in all walks of life and all

ages, the simple fact is that graduates should not face the burden of starting a career with already many thousands of pounds to repay.

"If we stopped wasting millions on segregating our community into 'Protestant' and 'Catholic', and instead spent the money on 'people', tuition fees would be unnecessary."

ENDS