Lib Dems put focus on top-up fees

Mr Kennedy's party wants smaller primary school classes

Charles Kennedy has highlighted plans to scrap university top-up fees and cut primary school class sizes.

The Liberal Democrat leader said under his party classes for infants would be reduced in size to 20 pupils, while junior classes would be cut to 25.

He also wants to replace A-levels and GCSEs with a diploma system.

The Tories also oppose student fees and want an extra 600,000 school places. Labour backs fees and wants specialist schools and 200 new City Academies.

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Education issues

Mr Kennedy believes his party's policies on education, Iraq and the environment will win them student votes in the general election on 5 May.

His party opposes the £3,000-a-year university "top-up" fees, introduced by Labour - as well as the present £1,000 tuition fees - and plans to abolish them, using the proceeds of a 50% tax on people earning over £100,000 to fund the change.

"We should not be saddling our young people with huge debts as they start out in life," he said.

People from low-income backgrounds should not be put off university because of the costs Charles Kennedy

"And people from low-income backgrounds should not be put off university because of the costs."

Mr Kennedy said the Liberal Democrats would focus on "providing every child with a quality local school".

'Fundamental right'

A commitment was made that in English, maths, science, information technology and languages every child would be taught by a "qualified professional".

And A-levels, GCSEs and vocational qualifications would be replaced with a new diploma system, offering a mixture of academic and vocational education for the over-14s.

"We believe that access to a quality education is a fundamental right of every child," he told party members in Exeter, Devon.

Education Secretary Ruth Kelly recently ruled out scrapping A-levels and GCSEs, despite the findings of the Tomlinson report.

Labour says education is its number one priority, and unveiled plans on Thursday to boost its funding using savings from the New Deal scheme.

School meals

Under its plans, university students will pay fees of up to £3,000 a year - money the government says is needed to fund an expansion of university places. The poorest students will be entitled to grants.

It wants parents to select specialist schools, more City Academies, to cut truancy and disruption in classrooms and better school meals.

Like the Lib Dems, the Tories oppose top-up fees but they would cover costs through higher interest charges on student loans.

Improving school discipline is a central part of their education policy.

They say they would give head teachers more power to expel pupils and have also pledged 600,000 new school places, to allow good schools to expand and create new schools.