My Letter to the Southampton Evening Echo

Daily Echo (Southampton) Page 12 Letters:-

Soapbox -Higher education budget cut.

So much for lifelong learning.

I want people to know about the government's proposal to shave £100m off the higher education budget from 2008-2010.

Despite this Government's avowed commitment to lifelong learning, Secretary of State for Universities, John Denham (also Labour MP for Southampton Itchen) has give instructions that this amount be taken from the universities budget, lest students might be taking an equivalent level qualification to their existing degree. So much for lifelong learning!

This means that anyone who wants to do an Open University course and they already have a degree, watch out because that course is set to increase by three times the amount currently paid.

The Government obviously does not realise that ine higher education qualification does not fit one lifetime, let alone the potential of higher education for keeping the mind alive and preventing dementia, etc.

So I would ask everyone to protest these cuts to their local MP.

Donald Hedges, Bitterne, Southampton.

Published today - I am so thrilled that at last this issue is coming to people's attention. This is truly an issue for our time, for us, our children and indeed, our children's children.