STUDENT FEES TO RISE IN WALES
STUDENT fees in Wales are to rise by nearly £300 from next year. Speaking in the Assembly chamber Education Secretary Kirsty Williams confirmed that in 2018/19 there will be a return to the pre-2012 policy of an inflation-linked maximum tuition fee level.
The policy, which will be in place for the next three academic years, was immediately criticised by the National Union of Students Wales.
The move will see students in Wales pay £9,295 rather than £9,000 in fees from next academic year.
Ms Williams said: “Welsh higher education operates in a UK-wide and international context. We are leading the way with our shift to support living costs. But policy in England also has a direct knockon effect.
“Wales needs a stable and sustainable higher education sector that delivers for our communities and economy.
“Our universities must be able to compete domestically and internationally.
“Jobs, prosperity and national wellbeing depend on it.
“We will address the real-terms reduction in the value of fee levels by once again linking them to inflation for the next three years. I can confirm that they will continue to be paid for through a publicly supported loan system and only repaid after graduation, linked to income levels.”
Responding to the announcement NUS Wales president Ellen Jones said: “I am extremely angry that the Welsh Government has chosen to allow students to bear the brunt of the Westminster austerity agenda.
“Education benefits everyone and strengthens the economy so I want to see the Welsh Government protecting the whole education budget.
“No matter what the Welsh Government says, today’s announcement makes the mission of getting students into higher education harder – not easier.”
Ms Williams’ announcement came as part of her response to the Diamond Review.
She said students from Wales will receive the equivalent of the National Living Wage in grants and loans while they study.
Wales will also become the first country in Europe to introduce equivalent maintenance support across full-time and part-time undergraduates, as well as post-graduates.
Government estimates show that a third of full-time students will be eligible to receive the maximum grant, which is £8,100 for a student living away from home.
Ms Williams said: “It is now widely recognised that high living costs are the greatest barrier to young people studying at university. Our new progressive system is a fundamental shift in the way we support students and our institutions.”
The Diamond Report reviewing the current system recommended a shift to maintenance support.
It said: “There is a strong consensus, particularly amongst students, students’ representative bodies, support staff and widening participation professionals, that the level of maintenance support available is inadequate to cover actual costs incurred by students and that this is a bigger issue for students than the level of tuition fees and tuition fee support.
“There is also a view that students from middle-income households, in particular, are inadequately catered for under current arrangements.”
Shadow Education Secretary Darren Millar warned that young voters will be “once bitten, twice shy” at the next election, after the Welsh Labour Government announced the hike in tuition fees.
Responding to the announcement for the Welsh Conservatives, Darren Millar said: “Just weeks ago, Labour’s First Minister was telling people to vote Labour to scrap tuition fees, yet today, with amazing hypocrisy, his government has announced a hike in the cap on tuition fees paid by Welsh students.
“It’s a betrayal of students across Wales and a kick in the teeth to Labour voters across the country.
“Young voters will be once bitten, twice shy at the next election.”