Over 80 students crammed themselves in the learning centre of the John Roan Sixth Form, Greenwich today to hear eye witness accounts from students who marched alongside education workers last Wednesday on the massive demo against tuition fee increases. Students are in uproar at the prospect of being saddled with debts of over £44, 000 if plans to increase fees to £9,000 go ahead. The feeling amongst The John Roan Sixth Form students was one of anger and determination to stop the government’s plans to wreck the lives of a generation. Students spoke of the deceit of a government that warns about the national debt and yet is happy to see students take on debts that will cripple their working life. As one student pointed out: “This is an attack on working class students like us. The rich can pay for their education but we will be denied the right because we can’t take on that level of debt.”

Students discussed the planned walkout on Wednesday 24 November and if such action can force the government to back down. After a lively discussion it was agreed by the meeting that the John Roan students would walkout en masse. “Will it make a difference?” one student asked. ” Who knows”, said a student in response, “52,000 and the storming of Millbank made the news and everyone is talking about it – imagine what is possible if we double it to 100,000. We need walkouts, occupations and street actions. We’ll only know if we try. And we’ve gotta try – this is too serious not to go all out”.

John Roan teachers will be meeting this week to discuss what solidarity action we can offer to the students and education workers in further and higher education who face over 40% cuts.

Kirstie Paton
NUT rep at the John Roan School, Greenwich
Reproduced with permission