Demo 2012 - London, 21st November
On the 21st of November the Sheffield Students' Union priority campaign "Reclaim Your Education" joined Universities from across the UK in London to make their voices heard about their concerns over the state of higher education today.
In spite of the rain and early departature at 6 am, Sheffield Students' Union took a significant contingent of over 200 students.
Sheffield students marched under the banner "Reclaim Your Education" campaigning for an introduction of post graduate funding, and against tuition fees and the marketisation of higher education, against the demonisation of international students, and for the reinstatement of public investment in higher education.
Although some students were disappointed with the route, students spoke of the "inspiring atmosphere" of the march, and the feeling of power protesting along with thousands of others. On the way home, students contiuned to be inspired by the thought of actions with a more local focus, including local MP and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.
This will be part of a sustained campaign by "Reclaim Your Education" to keep higher education issues on the agenda.
Wednesday 28th November will be our big post-demo meeting where we will be having a panel debate with members of the University, SU and NUS
Sheffield Students' Union is really proud of all the students who came out and marched yesterday. This is only the beginning and we look forward to continuing the "Reclaim Your Education" campign post demo...
The Issues
In England fees have been raised to £9000 a year. In Germany they are €500. In France they are €169. In Sweden and Scotland education is free.
The government's 80% cuts to undergraduate teaching budgets, and introduction of £9000 fees, have burdened new students with unprecedented levels of debt.
The government can change the terms of repayment of all student loans, past, present and future without even going to parliament.
There is no loans system for post graduate students and funding has being slashed.
Education is being re-defined as a privilege not a right, deterring some of those who would benefit the most from university.
International students are attacked in the media and undervalued by the government, with their right to remain in the UK threatened.
Women, Black, LGBT and Disabled people take longer, on average, to pay back their student debt due to pay gaps and discrimination.
Nick Clegg is the only Sheffield MP not to have kept his pledge to fight tuition fees and oppose the explosion of student debt.
Join the Campaign
We as students will:
- Campaign against all forms of tuition fees, and the marketisation of University education.
- Campaign for the introduction of financial support for postgraduate students.
- Campaign against cuts to teaching budgets and education funding.
- Campaign for the reinstatement of public investment in education, emphasising education as a social good.
- Campaign to take away government's power to change the terms of all current and previous student loans without a vote.
- To campaign against the demonisation of international students.
- To campaign to hold to their word all politicians who broke their promises to students, including Local MP and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.
- They did it in Quebec, they did it in Mexico and we can do it in the UK. It is possible to win. In the words of the Parisian student campaigners of May 1968: 'Be realistic: demand the impossible'.
Every year the Students' Union runs a Priority campaign - it is the biggest campaign on campus and has the energies of Officers, students and staff dedicated to it. This year, at a time when education has never been so undermined, under funded and under valued... it is time to campaign to reclaim and re-imagine your education...
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