Student fees should not be scrapped but need a hygiene test

The article argues scrapping tuition fees would be a mistake and calls for reforms to address high interest on Plan 2 loans and to link fee rises to teaching quality.

The piece warns that abolishing tuition fees would be harmful and that the system needs timely repairs to avoid losing public confidence. It sets out three goals a university funding system must balance: adequate resources for higher education, a fair sharing of costs between taxpayers and students, and preventing barriers to access for disadvantaged groups. The author describes the time-limited, income-contingent repayment system introduced under Tony Blair as the least bad option while noting it now requires targeted reforms. The article urges specific attention to loan interest terms and to restoring a visible link between fees and teaching quality. Key points: - The current system removed upfront fees and linked repayments to earnings, which helped expand university access. - Around eight million borrowers are on Plan 2 terms (students who started between 2012 and 2022) and face higher interest that can make debts grow in nominal terms. - Plan 5 loans charge RPI only, meaning borrowers under that regime will not repay more than they borrowed in real terms. - The author recommends restoring a visible tie between fee levels and teaching quality, for example via measures like the Teaching Excellence Framework. Summary: The article warns that unresolved loan terms and perceptions of unfairness could undermine confidence in the higher education funding model. The government has pledged to uprate fees annually and other reforms have been proposed, but the timing and scope of specific changes are undetermined at this time.