25th November 2011 9:00
By Blue Tutors
Student protests against fees are dominating the news again this week as Universities Minister David Willetts was forced to abandon his speech at Cambridge university after protesters disrupted the event. Willetts was due to speak on ‘the Idea of University’, but many feel that this topic is a slap in the face after the rise in fees that took place this year which will price many out of higher education.
Protesters emerged from the audience and read an open letter to the universities minister, criticising the proposed education reforms and highlighting the devastating effect the plans will have on students and poorer departments. Whilst organisers asked the protesters to leave they stood their ground and continued to read the letter, and the universities minister quickly took the decision to abandon the talk.
Defending the protest, students said that the action was necessary in order to make their voices heard, as one student commented “Willetts wasn’t here for debate, he was here to lecture us on destroying universities”. Cambridge university, where many academics have condemned the government’s plans, said that they were monitoring the protesters, but that their main concern was of the welfare of their students. Fees will rise to £9000 from 2012.