It changed my life but I couldn’t afford the Open University now
TEN years ago, I decided at 49 to study law. I had to work full-time, so the Open University was ideal. The fees were £2,500 a year, payable in instalments, so it was just about manageable. But in the last year of my course, the fees doubled to £5,000 a year and I had to take out a loan. This increase only applied to England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland continued with lower fees. It was explained to me that people in England are considered to be wealthier than other parts of the UK! But a student in Peterborough is just as likely to struggle as one in Perth. Middle earners and part-timers, most of whom are women with children, suffered because of their postcode. No wonder the number of students applying to the Open University has declined (Mail). I would not be able to afford to do my law course now. Increasing fees excludes the very people the Open University was supposed to attract. CHRISTINA BURTON, Eastbourne, E. Sussex. IT’S right to praise the Open University, but why sneer at former polytechnics that have stayed true to their roots by keeping their doors open to enable people to better themselves? For decades, my colleagues and I had the honour of providing an opportunity to people with the same determination to better themselves as OU students. The last two heads of my local barristers’ chambers made it by that route, with one of them being a former miner. Professor CHRIS BARTON,
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs. THE Open University approach could be extended to the benefit of a new generation of students. Other than for technical degrees where practical work is required, students could study online and access lectures at their chosen university over the internet. This could be funded by grants or tax relief/credits, which would be nowhere near as onerous as student loans.