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We are sorry to hear that Ghassan Karian, former national coordinator of New Solutions, now supports "... a graduate tax for maintenance and tuition fees". We do not believe that this is the way forward.

In our policy document, Investing in Our Future, New Solutions states: "There are three main beneficiaries of further and higher education: society, business, and the individual. It is only when all these groups contribute to the cost of education that expansion will be fully funded." We believe that students should contribute to their living expenses through a graduate tax and that business and government should pay the rest.

If students are expected also to pay their fees, then there would be an imbalance. If there is to be a partnership then the partners should pay their equal share. The fees which are paid at present by local education authorities are the "scholarships" which students are given for winning a place at an institution. The glory of our present system is that home students are not affected by the price of this fee: if they are intelligent and talented enough to gain a place at university, then they can go, regardless of their background. The only financial concern they have is how they can afford their living expenses.

New Solutions is firmly against tuition fees of any kind. We believe that they would create a multi-tier, elitist education system, they would reduce access and would end an education system which is open and accessible by all. This is not a viable option.

Mark Pursey New Solutions.