Universities Collapse, Student Debt Soars: Tickell's Tough Questions

0:00On March 5th, Adam Tickle, Vice Chancellor Birmingham University, warns that student loans are going to people without a single A-level even. Though many won't pass their degrees, he questions if taxpayers should fund higher education for these low-achieving students. The current system faces an existential challenge, with more government money poured in, students buried in debt, and universities nearing collapse. Tickle says, tweaks won't fix it. On Plan 2 loans, deal with interest rates tied to retail price index, plus up to 3 percent, piling up faster than repayments for many. Young workers, there's growing frustration over these massive debts. Labor plans a full overhaul to make things fair, including dropping the freeze on the 28,470-pound repayment, threshold until 2030. Tickle urges ministers to tackle tough issues by who qualifies for loans, how many should attend university and how to fund it all properly.