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thegryphon.co.uk
Now is the time for students to be heard and compensated
Séamus O’Hanlon
and the NHS.
enables workers to claim a £6 weekly allowance to
University students across the nation have been seriously
compensate for incurred living costs should be expanded
impacted, disappointed and politically shafted over the
situation, but they are struggling. To go without the
to encourage staying at home. The government needs to
past year. At the start of the academic year, many were
necessary downtime means we have become run down;
stop omitting the discussion on university students and
told that, on a case-by-case basis, students whose quality
to continue for so long with an intense, and sometimes
must address the matter directly.
of learning had proven to be inadequate could perhaps be
gruelling academic workload has left them exhausted.
compensated - but only after going through a complaint
Rent, living fees and a constantly increasing debt are
are being currently charged. Reducing fees by half would
procedure with unsure guidance.
some of the expenditures students are facing, which
be more than symbolic, as it would mean adjusting to the
reality of this unfair situation. Students have welcomed
fenced in their accommodation, leaving them vulnerable
the University of Leeds’ one-week blanket coursework
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and isolated with no in-person learning whatsoever. The
to support students with their mental health, and one
third lockdown only means that the remaining months
issue which should be lifted from students’ minds is the
of university life will feel unrecognisable and incomplete.
pressure of keeping up with rent while the government advises everyone to stay at home.
by the pandemic and all students therefore deserve and
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During the second lockdown, students in some areas were
All universities in the UK have
understandable at the time for people and universities to have been optimistic during the summer months, believing that blended learning was going to be a viable
assignment extension this January, but this again reveals
the unprecedented amount of disruption faced by students
lot of better decisions could have been made, impossible to
this past year. Rent refunds, academic assistance and
see back then, but that does not mean we can’t have better
mental health issues need to be tackled this year. Pro-
policies and procedures now. Universities have shown
student policies help everyone, and the public should join
resourcefulness and determination with their attempt
in on this pledge in the same way that it has supported
the goodness of their hearts. Understandably, the media
think criticism, dismay and outrage at this lousy situation
Having further education has never been more important
has drawn attention to the few illegal parties and rule-
should not be bottled up: for many students, online
breakers who threaten this hopefully
learning has not been acceptable or to a high enough
Students have turned down many opportunities out of
universities need to understand that young people who incurred high debts but with a huge lack of personalised
are qualities that students have been tirelessly displaying
teaching. Even younger people who are currently studying learning from home.
their A-Levels will face changes, which means all students
do this, students have had to give up on their university
Attending university from home is not the same as
have seen their education negatively impacted. This really
experience twice already, and now for the foreseeable
working from home. Working from home to prevent
could be the required impetus for a much-needed reform
future, to protect the most vulnerable members of society
of the tuition system.
