University students have had multiple changes implemented on their studies, including online lectures, the cancellation of freshers’ events and restrictions on the use of study facilities. Some students have even been banned from leaving their halls of residence in response to recent coronavirus outbreaks.
As a result, students are calling for the £9,250 tuition fees to be reduced or even scrapped, as they are getting a very different university experience.
In response to the calls, Express.co.uk asked its readers what they thought.
The poll, carried out from 11.30am-10pm on September 27, asked: “Should university students have their fees SCRAPPED due to campus lockdown shambles?”
Readers were heavily split on the matter, with 50 percent (1,214 people) voting “yes” and 40 percent (1,021) saying “no”.
One percent (21 people) of the 2,256 respondents opted for “don’t know”.
People then took to the comments to debate the matter, with some readers arguing universities should not have reopened this year.
One person wrote: “The simple truth is that all universities should not have been opened up in the first place.
“It was pretty obvious there was going to be problems, as students are less likely to obey the rules than anyone else.”
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They wrote: “Perhaps the students who receive a mixture of online and in-person tuition should get a small reduction in those fees. That’s it!”
Some readers called on the Government to review the current system, as such a large proportion of student debt gets wiped after 30 years.
One person wrote: “They only pay the money back once they earn a reasonable amount.
Another person said: “Oh come on! How many students end up actually repaying their loans anyways?
“Student debt in the UK currently stands at around £17 BILLION!
“There are hundreds that go on to actually working for a living and never use their degrees other than leverage to get a zero-hours contract, minimum wage job, the same as millions of others!”
The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that just 17 percent of graduates will pay off their student loans.
The remaining percentage are forecast to have some of their debt written off under the current system.
