When I went to college I got a grant. Without the grant I couldn’t possibly have gone on to further education. My parents wanted me to go into the mill. My mother was a spinner and having spent several afternoons in the spinning room breathing in the clouds of cotton I had decided at a fairly early age that it was not for me.
Persuading my parents that I was going to training college to ultimately become a teacher failed on every level. I went without their backing either emotionally or financially.
I worked hard every holiday to be able to buy books. I hitch hiked to college more than once because I just couldn’t afford the train fare.
My grant was seven pounds a term. It went straight into my post office saving account and was withdrawn through the term in increments of ten shillings. I could just about manage .... and when I started teaching I was debt free.
I feel very sorry for those students who get their degrees at the cost of massive debt to be paid off.
We made the terms of going to uni much too easy I think. And that’s one of the problems .
If we have encouraged too many young people to continue their education then entrance to universities should surely depend on academic achievement . To come out at the end of three years carrying a massive debt is a dreadful thing to do to young adults...
Is it time to think again? Education should surely be free in England as it is in Scotland.
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3 comments:
When I went to Cardiff Uni in 1962 I got the maximum grant of £312pa.
My mum was a single parent on 15/- a week National Assistance plus whatever she could earn as a domestic cleaner.
When at school I used to work for a Vet doing all manner of odd jobs from weeding to helping in operation on animals. At uni I worked in the vacation at the Sloop inn in St Ives and I too left withot debt.
The debt our young people leave with is totally unfair. Education should be free.
I know those who go to uni earn (usually) more during their life but the Country benefits from their efforts as well.
I went to college in 1956.....and left with my teaching certificate in 1958. Seems a lifetime ago...
I never went to University, it wasn't an option when I was old enough to leave school. I went to work for the Post Office and than joined the Army.
The Army provided my Education needed to meet the needs of the service and to enable me to work within my trade group. I eventually achieved the Army Certificate of Education 1st Class, which was regarded as the Equivalent of A Levels. And recognition of my professional training in trade skills, through the vocational route, which meant membership of four different professional organisations and a Level Seven award in Leadership and Management. Of course, the church didn't regard this as real evidence of academic achievement.
In the end, my LLM training has been the first study at an Academic Level, upto level 6, so I finally achieved a degree level education. Off course, they don't award a degree as the course isn't accredited by any academic institution, although I have got a Bishops Certificate so show off, if I were so inclined.
All this has cost me personally, nothing, apart from books which are usable in my role, so I don't have a huge debt to worry about.
My oldest grand daughter has completed her degree, done part time, over four years, with a considerably smaller debt, as she worked throughout. My second eldest started Nurse Training last September, just as the government withdrew bursaries - so she will have a debt, and the other three have yet to reach that age. I fear for their future. Will they be saddled with debt life long, or will it eventually bw written off as they will not be in a position to afford to pay it off, and what about home purchase, probably well out of their reach. Sad, that we are doing this to the next generations.
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