Letter: University fees and vouchers

IT SEEMS to me that the simplest solution (to the university funding issue] would be to allow Scottish universities to charge tuition fees (as they do in England]. Free education could then be granted to "home-grown" students by a voucher system which would allow them to attend any UK university.

A further benefit of this is that there could be some penalty (part or whole repayment) imposed on the alarming number of drop-outs. Believe me the finance is already there for such a scheme.

In my university days most of my colleagues in arts faculties ceased teaching duties in mid-May and did not recommence until October. The main benefit of the Scottish 4-(short) year degree course was that it allowed students from poorer homes to partly support themselves by vacation employment. Since most either no longer wish to do this or are unable to find vacation employment (it was easy in my day), to the financial benefit of both universities and students, the honours course could, and indeed should, be cut to three years.

Dr A McCormick, Dumfries