P1keys pitch up at Marlborough College

[andy222]

I'm talking about the NEW system....starting THIS year, not 5 years ago or whatever.

£9,000 a year ?

The country has the nerve to put its students into £20-30,000 worth of debt before they even get a job ?

I don't care that they don't start paying til they're on a certain salary. It is DEBT.

What message does that send to youngsters who live in a country that has just about bankrupted itself through governments and individuals living beyond their means ?

It is total nonsense when we are sending billions to other countries....AND providing our facilities and training to their students so that they can go home and steal our markets from us !

Exactly Graham and there is already over 1 million youth on the dole. This just increases that figure.

[grahamw48]

Do you know what really makes me mad ?

I have for the past several years made soooo many personal sacrifices and run my whole life so as to enable MY boy, a bright lad, to do well in his education...to pass his exams and to be a good hard-working and decent citizen of this country.

Now he feels the need to go elsewhere...to another country, to achieve his potential in life.

[lastlid]

Do you know what really makes me mad ?

I have for the past several years made soooo many personal sacrifices and run my whole life so as to enable MY boy, a bright lad, to do well in his education...to pass his exams and to be a good hard-working and decent citizen of this country.

Now he feels the need to go elsewhere...to another country, to achieve his potential in life.

Do you know, i was thinking just that very thing. I can understand now why you have had to scrimp and scrape.

[lastlid]

lastlid...

I'm talking about the NEW system....starting THIS year, not 5 years ago or whatever.

£9,000 a year ?

The country has the nerve to put its students into £20-30,000 worth of debt before they even get a job ?

I don't care that they don't start paying til they're on a certain salary. It is DEBT.

What message does that send to youngsters who live in a country that has just about bankrupted itself through governments and individuals living beyond their means ?

It is total nonsense when we are sending billions to other countries....AND providing our facilities and training to their students so that they can go home and steal our markets from us !

You are correct. It is debt. I agree. But am just saying that it isnt quite as bad as it seems.

[lastlid]

Did I not say it was wrong of the goverment of the day trid the country of state run grammar schools?....schools where bright British kids of every background could attend.

As for what planet im on....if only you knew..what ever I say you area gonna twist it...oh, I was married to someone like that before...Andy, didn't you say you was an engineer big money etc but you packed it up coz of the unsocial hours well, that's me..I wasn't prepared for my family to suffer...its all your choice...nobody elses

There's a lot of engineers about?

[grahamw48]

I only have the one (of my own).

The difficult thing really is balancing 'spoiling' them and doing what you can to give them a good life.

[lastlid]

Trying to adopt a balanced perspective, it wasn't long ago that half the country was up in arms as students were getting into university for free and perceived to be spending 3 years on a jolly great p1ss up courtesy of the exchequer and were the source of anger for those on low pay. Now that students have to pay their way, people are also up in arms. Amazing.

[grahamw48]

Not really.

There are just too many courses on offer...many of which are totally useless IMO.

Tailor the courses to the needs of the country and our industries (such as they are ) rather than to the whims of fashion and the imagined need to give everyone and his dog a tertiary education, and raise entry standards.

[lastlid]

There are just too many courses on offer...many of which are totally useless IMO.

Taylor the course to the needs of the country and our industries (such as they are ) rather than to the whims of fashion and the perceived need to give everyone and his dog a tertiary education.

I agree with all of that. What is your son studying?

Some people would say "but what about my kids, they want to do a degree too and they have an A level?"...what do we as a country say to those people?

[grahamw48]

He is going to train to be an Environmental Engineer in the renewables/re-cycling field...from what I can gather.

[lastlid]

He is going to train to be an Environmental Engineer in the renewables/re-cycling field...from what I can gather.

Great. Might need a few of them in Phils too soon....

Growth industry. And the Scandinavians are big on that stuff.

[grahamw48]

Yes indeed, and that's why I gave him my full support.

[gWaPito]

I also think single sex Grammar schools are better.

You concentrate on your work and the girls don't leave school behaving like little tarts !

On a lighter note....which is mostly my intention anyway ....ok, hands up, sometimes I misjudge the mood of some ...heartfelt apologies.

Graham's post reminded me of Mick Jagger...all male school and that....I had to view there song on youtube '' sympathy for the devil Altamont 69''.....also '' gimme shelter pop goes the 60's'' apparently the 2 Micks (Mick Taylor, 2nd bass) were loves at the times.

[grahamw48]

We weren't ALL that way !

[gWaPito]

There's a lot of engineers about?

Im no engineer...but, I work for a demanding company that requires me to work unsocial hours.....im not complaining here...I've cut my cloth and getting on with it.

That's my planet

[gWaPito]

You are correct. It is debt. I agree. But am just saying that it isnt quite as bad as it seems.

Alright for you rich folk

[gWaPito]

We weren't ALL that way !

Frankie ''up pompeii'' Howard once said, dont knock it until you try it

[grahamw48]

Noooooo thankyooo !

[lastlid]

Alright for you rich folk

5.19 per week? On an £18000 salary. Thats the whole point. On average, graduates earn approximately 55% more in their lifetime so can afford to pay the money back....

From Which...

"The repayment of student loans is managed through the tax system (PAYE) and only begins after you’ve left university and are earning more than £15,000. You pay back 9% of all you earn above the £15,000 threshold. Someone earning £18,000 a year will have to pay 9% of £3,000 (£18,000 minus £15,000) - around £5.19 a week."

Affordable for a young 22 yo graduate in work earning £18000 pa. Think of it as a sort of extra "tax" and it doesn't seem so painful.

BTW the said graduates weren't yet in your 40% tax bracket though, when they paid the loan off.

[andy222]

Im no engineer...but, I work for a demanding company that requires me to work unsocial hours.....im not complaining here...I've cut my cloth and getting on with it.

That's my planet

Im alright JACK springs to mind.

[grahamw48]

Come on guys...let's not fall out over it.

.

[gWaPito]

5.19 per week? On an £18000 salary. Thats the whole point. On average, graduates earn approximately 55% more in their lifetime so can afford to pay the money back....

From Which...

"The repayment of student loans is managed through the tax system (PAYE) and only begins after you’ve left university and are earning more than £15,000. You pay back 9% of all you earn above the £15,000 threshold. Someone earning £18,000 a year will have to pay 9% of £3,000 (£18,000 minus £15,000) - around £5.19 a week."

Affordable for a young 22 yo graduate in work earning £18000 pa. Think of it as a sort of extra "tax" and it doesn't seem so painful.

BTW the said graduates weren't yet in your 40% tax bracket though, when they paid the loan off.

Its not my tax bracket Lastlid....I'd still rather be earning the same as and still paying 28%...this bracket was extended and imposed on many hard working folk throughout the land.....and I'll thank you lastlid to stop stirring

'' i'm alright Jack''....really, you been reading too much of lastlid...you replied anyway

Im not falling out with anyone Graham...at least you managed to see my initial post was my dark humour...goodness, you agreed!, all part of the joke...obviously it escaped some

I appreciate that some folks on here are feeling pretty raw about the minimum wage requirements but hey does that mean we gotta be walking on eggshells here...I have enough of that elsewhere, thank you very much ..nobody should feel obliged to read all the posts, especially from folks you know that get under your skin hence the 'ignore button'.

I dont use it..I have self control....anyway, its goodnight from him

[andy222]

Did I not say it was wrong of the goverment of the day trid the country of state run grammar schools?....schools where bright British kids of every background could attend.

As for what planet im on....if only you knew..what ever I say you area gonna twist it...oh, I was married to someone like that before...Andy, didn't you say you was an engineer big money etc but you packed it up coz of the unsocial hours well, that's me..I wasn't prepared for my family to suffer...its all your choice...nobody elses

Your wrong there I am a qualified engineer but I was made redundant (the firm closed down) 1400 of us went. For your information I didnt pack it up. I did work unsociable hours and still do. I changed career because there was no work about in my field of engineering. Instead of sitting on my butt I got my qualifications to work in the NHS and took a lower paid job.

[gWaPito]

Cheers, I stand corrected.. I wish you well in your radio broadcast