Time To Put Up And Shut Up

As yet more student protests over the tuition fee rises take place, is it now time to stop protesting and accept that the coalition government will not change its mind? Messrs Clegg and Cable have been reassuring students that this is the right way to go and it is hard not to agree with them.

Firstly, hats off to the Liberal Democrats who have proved how far one can go with an appealing election strategy. In fact their entire election manifesto seemed to read like a school council manifesto. It took me back to a time just over ten years ago when I started secondary school as a bright-eyed, enthusiastic young pupil. Presented with the opportunity to run for class president and thus secure election to the school council, I jumped at the chance. My aims were plain and simple. The opposition however, chose to make lavish promises like a longer breaktime among other things. Naturally they were elected, consigning my fledgeling political career to the history books.

Quite simply, this macrocosm can be applied to the bigger microcosm of modern Britain. Students were duped into thinking that by signing a pledge drawn up by the NUS, the Lib Dems were going to make students their niche voting strategy. Did anyone not stop and think for a second that this was not a legally binding document? Clearly not and this says to me that elections are now more about the electorate than the politicians themselves.

Perhaps students should look at this in a different way. If fewer people can afford to go to university then surely that drags up the value of a degree. Maybe universities themselves will now do away with so-called "mickey mouse" degrees and pump that reserve funding into other courses or improving research facilities. From a student's point of view, instead of protesting that it will be too expensive to go to a third-rate university to study, why not explore options abroad? Why not study in places like the USA or somewhere in Europe and gain a little life experience.

The Prime Minister's catchphrase when the cuts were announced was "we're all in this together" and some departments will have to sacrifice their funding. Higher education is vital to this country's continuing development but you could put your house on the general public taking to the streets in protest had the NHS been faced with such cuts. Unfortunately it is students who have to suffer this time around. Deal with it.

For an insider view on what went on in London at the first planned protest, here is WINOL news' stunning documentary:




(Picture: Jason Curtis)