BILL RAMMELL & ALAN JOHNSON UNITED IN THEIR ‘HEAD IN THE SAND’ APROACH TO STUDENT DEBT

They won’t even talk to those offering possible and proven solutions


In October of this year the Student Debt Reduction Solution (SDRS) sent a document to Mr Rammell and Mr Johnson presenting a feasible solution in form of the SDRS that could see student debt slashed by half and increase funding to poorer students, and in doing so turn around the falling number of applicants to universities inside of three years.

The proven idea behind the SRDS is to harness the spending power of the immediate family and therefore the community to help reduce an individual students debt by up to 50%. The SDRS is based around a similar concept to that of already existing loyalty schemes and discount cards that both students and their families are both comfortable and familiar with. Whilst the students retain there discount their family members on the other hand receive no discount or points with their purchases, instead an amount equivalent to the current discount offered by the retailer or a percentage of the purchase value is transferred to the students SDRS Bank Account. The balance of which can be used against their student debt.

The response to the proposal was a complete surprise, as it was thought that Mr Rammell and Mr Johnson would at least enter into some kind of dialogue to discuss the issue unfortunately this was not to be. The short one page response displayed the sad state of affairs that the government and politics seem to have reached more interested in their own spin than topical debate with the populous they were elected to represent

Bill used the majority of his response to blow the Governments own trumpet, below is an extract

“ The Government is providing more upfront loan and grant support than ever before, particularly for low income students. Full-time eligible students are now entitled to maintenance grants of up to £2700, with HE institutions also providing bursaries of typically £1000.”

Really Mr Rammell if we had wanted a party political broad cast we would of asked for one, and as for the maintenance grants and bursaries there are only available to students on 100% state support. So that’s alright then Mr Rammell you have the solution, the problems solved and we can all go about our business no need to discuss the matter further and I quote.

“the Department does not endorse specific commercial(or non-profit making) projects of this kind so I don’t think it would be useful to discuss your proposal”

Well Mr Rammell, Mr Johnson we are sure we can persuade the greater student body of this country to all have a whip round for a couple of buckets of sand for you to shove your heads in for the next 12 months whilst all around you student debt increases and you turn this nations historic centres of education into under funded youth training centres only for those of the populous eligible for your grants and bursaries and or those that can afford to pay the ever increasing fees. Where we ask will this leave the rest of the country?


NOTES TO EDITORS

For a full overview of the SDRS please see attached document “SDRS Info pack.pdf”

The SDRS is hosted and developed by www.thestudentzone.com

www.thestudentzone.com/sdrs

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By arrangement contact mike.harding@thestudentzone.com