In March, De Montfort Students’ Union’s (DSU) Academic Executive, Laura Flowers, met the All Party Parliamentary Group for Students (APPG for Students) alongside other Executive Officers from around the country. Student Officers met at the APPG to represent students and share student views on the current student finance system and search for ways to improve
The full report of findings of the student representatives that joined Laura can be read here. It covers a large range of topics from accommodation to payment timings.
Based off this evidence, the published report recognises a selection of recommendations for changes to be made to the student finance system in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Laura says: “As we are all well aware, for many students the current finance system is not fit for us, many of us have to balance multiple jobs whilst struggling to even pay our rent. We sacrifice the time needed for us to work on our assignments just to be able to survive.
I was so pleased to join many other wonderful student representatives to speak to MPS about this and be able to make an active change.
I particularly spoke about the needs of our healthcare students, many of whom struggle to get a job alongside university because of their intense placement schedules, leaving them to survive on the bare minimum, and when in crisis, rely on the university’s hardship fund. This isn’t enough. People should not have to financially struggle just to get an education.
I was pleased to see this report published and our recommendations taken very seriously as a result, I hope the government will take this into consideration as I strongly believe that education is the key for a better world- and making education more accessible to all will create a better society."
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