UK News 04-10-2001 Student Loans To Be Scrapped who: Tony Blair what: Announces massive overhaul of student funding where: BRIGHTON when: Yesterday snippet: "The introduction of a graduate tax and the restoration of grants were announced by the government yesterday," reports The Guardian, "in a stunning overhaul of its heavily criticised student funding system." "Mr Blair`s announcement came after concern among senior party figures at the low number of students from low-income households who can even consider university," says The Times. The student loan "will be replaced by a maintenance grant that students may pay back through an extra tax on their salaries after graduating," reports The Mirror. Political editor James Hardy claims "a partial victory" on behalf of the paper after it ran a campaign to relieve students of debt and abolish tuition fees - the latter aim having already been achieved in Scotland where the executive has adopted a "study now, pay later" model. "We have to find a better way to combine state funding and student contributions," said the prime minister at the Labour Party conference in Brighton yesterday, following up remarks by Estelle Morris, Education and Skills Secretary, who expressed her concern over "the persistent link between social class and educational achievement". [... more]

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