Letters: Education deficit

Undergraduates in England march against "an increase in student fees" but "fees" have actually been replaced by long-term, government-guaranteed, tax payer-funded loans.

The confusion is understandable because both north and south of the Border the sharing of education costs between government, universities, parents and students is shambolic.

After the Stalinist control-freakery of recent governments, it had been hoped the coalition would re-establish the autonomy which allowed British tertiary education to thrive.

But Vince Cable's decision to pay for the tripled loans in England by cutting teaching grants, and Scotland's "electioneering" economics, will doom most universities. For some there is no escape, but the likes of Oxbridge, St Andrews and London could opt for a fee-paying "Ivy League" which relies solely on the enduring appeal of quality.

(Dr) John Cameron

Howard Place

St Andrews

With regard to Alex Salmond's declaration that "the rocks will melt with the sun before I allow tuition fees" (your report, 31 March), may I point out that many voters may adopt a similar stance to those political parties which allow our universities to degenerate into second-class institutions through lack of funding.

Keddie Law

Lunan Avenue

Montrose, Angus