Do student loans need to be reformed?

IT IS estimated that 83 per cent of students will not repay their loans in full, with the cost being borne by taxpayers. Universities market courses with little regard to the needs of the job market, so many graduates in soft subjects have little prospect of employment using their studies. It is time for a rethink to meet the shortage of those with particular skills while making it a cost-effective investment in our young people. C. SIMPSON, Wokingham, Berks. WHY should we believe the latest idea to reduce interest on student loans and extend the repayment period to 40 years would be fair? What’s to stop the term being extended to 60 years or even death? CHERYL BRAzIER, Stockport. THERE are still graduates repaying fees based on the old loan system, with repayments starting when you earn £18,935 a year rather than the current £25,725. There are people in their 40s struggling to repay their debt while trying to raise families on a low income. K. CARTWRIGHT, Redditch, Worcs. HAVInG had nine grandchildren attend university, I believe degrees could be readily achieved in two rather than three years. Students should be expected to study all day rather than attend a few lectures each week. This would reduce loans by a third and enable youngsters to earn a living wage much sooner. S. ATKINS, Lightwater, Surrey. MOST graduates just end up paying off the interest on their loan. Why use a windfall, inheritance or bonus to pay it off when it will be written off eventually? A student loan has become a second income tax. Is taking out a loan to finance a good time worth a long-term debt? Knowing you will have to start paying it back once you start earning a certain salary, why would you have the ambition to apply for a well-paid job? Name and address supplied.