Letter: Educational good

Arguably problems over "student subsidies" arise from a confusion of concepts, as Michael Fry's analysis shows (Perspective, 18 March).

Why do we treat primary and secondary education to all intents and purposes as a public good but not tertiary education? Billions of pounds are invested in the former from general taxation, but the we baulk at the need to invest in the latter.

Instead, we treat tertiary education more akin to a private good in which there is a market, domestic and now increasingly international. Further and higher education ought to be considered as a public not a private good. We invest in it for social and economic returns of benefit to the whole of society. However, to maximise returns on our investment the close link between social background and access must be broken and we must ensure access on merit.

ELLIS THORPE

Old Chapel Walk

Inverurie