University Fee Rise, Anything to Complain About?

The increase in university tuition fees has meant that university applications are down by nearly 9% this year. There has been an outcry, complaining that university places will again become an option only for those from more privileged backgrounds; this could further increase the social divide between rich and poor.

The Muslim community is generally deemed to be from poorer backgrounds and therefore, theoretically will be of those hit by the increase in fees with more severity.

However, The question is if this is actually a bad thing. Recent years have seen a record of number of people going to university- but the standards to get into university have become lower and some of the newer courses being studied are pitiful and frankly the calibre of some ‘graduates’ is nothing to be impressed by. Not to mention that some of these degrees have done nothing to aid career prospects of many graduates- so what is the point in obtaining such a degree?

Who has been paying for these students, who study these ‘mickey mouse’ courses? The taxpayer. Why should those working hard, have their taxes spent on people who are going to university for the sake of it just because it has become fashionable to do so; if you want to waste 3 years of life- fund it yourself.

Those who want to go university, to study hard for a good course, with a career and goal in mind, that will then result in a decent career prospets, will on the whole be able to afford the debt that will be accumulated after graduating. Of course, it's far from ideal to be in debt but it is only repaid when enough money is earnt to repay it.

More importantly, those who want to make something of themselves will find a way to success- having a degree isn’t the be all and end all. Perhaps these higher fees will now make people actually consider what they want to do and achieve in their lives and make more productive decisions regarding future studies and careers.

Back to the Muslim community: parents have typically fall in to two camps, the first camp have only this advise: ‘Go study hard and become a doctor or a lawyer,’ as if all other courses are a waste of time. The other half have taken no interest in their children’s studies and have let them waste potential, simply being proud of the fact that their child has a degree, without understanding what they have done and with no consideration for the actual value of the degree. Broadness in career choice is still lacking in the next generation. Careers in journalism and politics for example are still given little value- however are vital for Muslims to be involved in.

The Mosques have also again failed in their duty; as the hub of the community, they should also take some responsibility in giving youth some direction. Other faith centres provide careers advice and supplementary classes; however for many Mosques having an English speaking Imam is too much of an ask.

In summary, in this current climate where unemployment is rife, when there are so many social issues, when the NHS is failing due to lack of funds, relatively speaking is the university fee rise anything to be that upset about?

We’re still in privileged positions compared to most other nations in the world. With regards to higher education access - rather than complaining, we should perhaps think of being more pragmatic when considering future opportunities, as well considering what we have done make things better for ourselves and society as a whole. How many of us have done anything to contribute towards society, and how many of us have done anything to influence or change decisions we're unhappy about?