"University language departments are warning that the increase in tuition fees in England could undermine their
ability to recruit students", according to this BBC News
article. "Many
language degrees include an extra year abroad - and there are fears that
students will not want to pay up to £36,000 for a four-year course."
With languages already seen by
many aspiring sixth-formers as a side-subject after being rendered non
compulsory a few years ago, compared with the urgent need for language graduates
in the UK, this is great news for those who deem it necessary to further
diminish the number of students taking A-levels and GCSEs in modern
languages.
Once seen as a decisive factor
in opting to study foreign languages, the extra year spent abroad as part of all
language degrees in the UK in which students develop their fluency and cultural
knowledge, now counts against its attractivity, incurring up to £9,000 more
debt.
The government allegedly
recognises the importance of modern languages, but with hundreds of arts
organisations finding out today whether or not they face the chop, what's to
stop Modern Languages from suffering?
One one hand, Universities such as Essex are role models
in fronting the fight back with plans to fund its own subsidy when fees are
increased, so that language students will not pay any fees for the extra fourth
year.
On the other hand, however, the funding cuts and tuition fees
rises have pushed University of the West of England to amputate all modern
language courses.
This all forms part of government's plan to salvage the sinking
economy, and what better way than to remove the career prospects of thousands
and a sector of industry simply vital to trading with the 75% of the world's
population who don't speak English?
