NUS target Clegg over tuition fees

The National Union of Students (NUS) has called on Nick Clegg to explain his party’s stance on the raising of tuition fees for students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The controversy surrounding the rise in tuition fees has been exacerbated by Mr Clegg’s pre-election promise to combat any rise in tuition fees for students.

In a statement on the NUS website a short explanation of the anger felt by the NUS toward the policy of higher education claims that “as universities struggle to cope with the moving goal posts of HE funding policy, another £13.8m has been taken out of students' pockets meaning a total of £70m less by 2015”.

Many students have felt undermined and let down by the system, especially after Nick Clegg expressed a commitment to not only capping but abolishing tuition fees were he elected in 2010. However, since becoming part of the government coalition, students feel aggrieved that this commitment has not been met.

Liam Burns, President of the NUS, released a statement on the website stating: “Mr Clegg and his colleagues promised £150m National Scholarship Programme would support students but in effect not only will none of this money reach students’ pockets but there will actually be a drop of £70m.”

Mr Burns added: “[The] NUS annual conference will be held in Sheffield next spring and I challenge Mr Clegg to face the students whose vote he courted at the last election and explain his continued support for these disastrous reforms.”

While this campaign does represent the views of many students across the country, some critics have argued for the need for a raise in tuition fees due to times of austerity and the need to reduce the economic deficit.