Thursday, 25 November 2010

Funding University Education

I come from a working class background and my family were so strapped for money that my mum made our school pinafores. They couldn’t afford to pay for us to go on any of the school trips to France so we had to stay behind and pretend we really didn’t want to go anyway. It was hard.
Having a child go to university was never on their radar.
I realise now that separating the working class children from those who came from middle class and more affluent families began in primary school. Most teachers in my day made no effort to encourage us. Working class kids were all destined for manual labour or jobs in the “hospitality” sector so why waste time and effort on them?
And indeed, I got a summer and weekend job working in Morelli’s when I was 12. I got 18 pence an hour and after I proved myself as a hard worker I got a raise to 20p an hour. I worked in a fish and chip shop, a boarding house and a bed and breakfast during other summers. I even had the privilege of taking care of a lady’s children for £1 a day while she spent all day, every day, at the golf club. I spent more time with her kids during the summer holiday’s than she did. I often wonder how they turned out and faired in life.
One teacher tried to make a difference though. He did for me by reading a chapter of Hemmingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea” on Wednesday afternoons. He gave me a lifelong interest and love of literature and it changed my like for ever. His name is Raymond Pollock and I thank him from the bottom of my heart.
My parents were actually afraid that I would pass the 11 plus. Sending a child to grammar school would not only be beyond their means it would be a burden. It was more important to leave school and find employment at sixteen in order to help support myself and contribute to the household.
And you know what? I got a job at 16 and have contributed ever since.
I find it really difficult to watch students rioting about having to pay university fees. I also find it difficult to sympathise with them when my neighbours and I have been subjected to drunken students rampaging through our communities, stealing stuff from gardens and smashing beer bottles all over the streets. They think car walking is great sport and look down and spit on the society that they then expect to pay up to subsidise their education. It’s just shameful.
I know everyone wants to give their kids what they never had. I really get it. But here’s a wee idea for parents who want to see their children have a university education. Why don’t you fund it and encourage them to save for it too? Teach them to be sensible with their pocket money. Instead of lavishing expensive gifts on them teach them the value of working for treats. Put money aside for their futures instead of squandering it on the here and now because you have to assuage your guilt for not spending quality time with them. So many parents spoil their kids with outrageous parties and expensive gadgets that their kids expect the rest of us to pick up and fund their future desires.
Children don’t even communicate like human beings anymore. They spend all their time in their rooms “talking” by text and email and playing computer games. Many can no longer string a coherent sentence together. They don’t know how to interact unless it’s with a machine. And what do their parents say? Oh yes! That would be that teachers and the government are to blame and should do more to help. I have friends who themselves are so addicted to social networking that they don’t even notice it is 11.00pm and their 9 year old kid is still out on the street on a school night. So many youngsters are out of control. Let’s be honest about it. Parents are responsible … legally and morally responsible. The parents who encouraged their 14 and 16 year old daughters to go on the protest against university fees are a case in point. They sent their children into a potentially very dangerous situation.   
I know there are great parents who spend quality time with their kids … nurture them and teach them social values. I applaud those people because I know it isn’t easy. It wasn’t easy for my parents. We had nothing and somehow I didn’t turn out to be a rioting, vandalising, would be sponging intellectual.
If students are so hard up how come they can afford to party their way through university? Most people these days can’t afford food and heating never mind a night out on the town. And don’t get me started on the “GAP” year!

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