Student 'shutdown' over fees and debt

Day of action follows earlier national rally

Students have been boycotting lectures in protest at tuition fees and loans and to call for the return of grants.

The organisers, the National Union of Students (NUS), say that more than 100 individual students' unions arranged pickets, rallies and other events.

Balloons were released in some places to represent students who have been excluded from their courses for failing to pay tuition fees, currently set at a maximum of £1,050 a year.

The NUS said its members had the formal support of the two main staff unions, Natfhe and the AUT.

"In many cases, the action is actively supported by vice-chancellors and principals," it said.

'Deserted lecture theatres'

The union's president, Owain James, said students could not afford huge levels of debt.

"The 'education shutdown' day shows the government what seminar rooms and lecture theatres will look like if they continue to issue student loans and to charge tuition fees - deserted," he said.

Owain James: call for "targeted maintenance grants"

"Hundreds of thousands of students walked out of lectures today in protest against the intolerable levels of debt they face on a daily basis."

The response had been "the biggest NUS has ever seen".

"This clearly shows that students are very angry," he added.

The day was backed in a ballot of NUS members last term, as was a national demonstration held in London in November and attended by an estimated 17,000 students.

Expulsions

Tuition fees are paid by students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

They were abolished by the Scottish Executive in favour of a "graduate tax" which starts once a graduate is earning £10,000 a year.

The Commons education select committee heard recently that inability to pay was leading to some students being expelled, although no-one has overall figures.

In its report on access to university, the committee recommended that the Department for Education should "monitor closely and report on the operation of the new financial support arrangements".

The NUS complained that the MPs had overlooked the issue of debt.

The department says that more than 50% of students do not pay fees because their family income falls below the threshold.