The following is a statement from De Montfort Students' Union (DSU) DP Education Augustus Mbanasor in response to the news that the House of Lords have voted to remove the link between the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and raising tuition fees.
As every other education officer of a students’ union across the country, I am extremely happy that the House of Lords voted to remove the link between the TEF and raising tuition fees.
The amendment to the Higher Education and Research Bill was one that student activists hoped for. It’s a HUGE win for students within higher education, but the fight is not over yet.
The government now faces the choice to either accept the amendment of the bill or bid to force through the proposed amendments with the backing of MPs.
This is why I have always strongly encouraged students to speak out. The student voice is so powerful that it has the potential to influence government policy.
This is a result of collective student activism from the National Union of Students (NUS), the University College Union (UCU), students’ union officers from all over the country and most importantly – the students themselves.
National demonstrations are a way of letting everyone know what the public opinion is and the National Demo facilitated by the NUS and UCU on Saturday November 19 2016 was the way student activists across the country voiced out their feelings about the TEF being linked to tuition fees, and I am proud to have mobilised DSU for it and partnering with Loughborough SU and Leicester College SU on the day.
When we unite, any change is possible.
Augustus addressed an extraordinary meeting of the university's Academic Board at last month's #LoveInternational Vigil.
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