Scaling a new height

Annabel Williams • Last updated 13 Nov 2008 16:44 0 Comments

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THERE was a very different mountain to climb for students when an unwanted symbol of their studies went on show.

Youngsters wrote exactly how much debt they have accrued so far in their personal bid to get a degree on pieces of paper, which were then pinned to a peak outside Reading University Students' Union (RUSU) in Whiteknights campus.

The mountain of debt, which stood at more than six-feet high, launched RUSU's take on the National Union of Students' (NUS) Broke & Broken campaign, in its drive to change the way higher education is funded.

The NUS believes the education funding system is broken because it fails to identify and help those needing support the most, and it wants to change the system for the better at the next Government review.

Students face annual fees of around £3,145 for their course, on top of rising accommodation and living costs and next year, the cap on fees could be lifted leaving universities to charge as much as they want.

When students graduate, the average debt is £20,000.

RUSU president Rhiannon Horsley said: "We need to ensure this becomes a massive issue within Government.

"We need to make sure that the Government realises the current system is broken and needs a dramatic overhaul.

"The mountain is to demonstrate the amount of debt students have to take on simply to get a degree.

"The amount of money concerned really is incredible."

Visit www.rusu.co.uk/funding

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 13 Nov 08

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