'A generation of Muslims not able to go to university?' blog discussion

Former_MSE_Helen

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's "A generation of Muslims not able to go to university?" Blog.

Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.

AAAAA

*waits for barrage of comments and comment wars*

Edwardia

How do they do it in the USA ? Uni education isn't free there.

worried_jim

It certainly hasn't hindered admissions at Leicester's De Monfort University.

tyllwyd

I assume that paying tax does not bring the same problems as paying interest? Since the loan system will in effect be similar to a graduate tax for many borrowers, perhaps there could be an option to pay a graduate tax as an alternative for those with religious objections to a loan? (Edited to say - although I guess it would be hideously expensive to set up two systems so it's probably too late to go down that route.)

NRTurner

I work at a university in an area with a high muslim population. It has deterred some from applying, but not as many as we had feared.

I believe FOSIS - the Federation of Student Islamic Societies - was looking into this with a view to possibly offering financial help to students not wanting to take out loans.

Either way, I think the government would have been better off introducing a graduate tax, and removing upfront fees.

callum9999

Martin is clearly living in his own little world! I have no idea why he is "surprised" at the anti-Muslim ranting on his blog post - I'd be willing to wager that the majority of the country is Islamophobic in some form, even the people who are otherwise perfectly pleasant people.

callum9999

Edwardia wrote: »

How do they do it in the USA ? Uni education isn't free there.

Many aim for scholarships to pay for most/all of the fees and there are loan options available (though I don't think they are anywhere near as generous as ours).

The expense of university in America is why they are always starting special college funds for their small children on US TV shows/films whereas we don't really do it much here.

torbrex

Its their choice, why should a whole country pander to the choice of a single religious group?

No-one was willing to enter into debt so that I could go to university so the choice was made and I didn't go and guess what, it had nothing to do with religion.

antrobus

What the Government needs to do is introduce a Sharia compliant student loan, where the student is required to repay an additional variable profit share calculated annualy. Which just happens to be at the rate of 3% above RPI inflation. That's the way that Islamic banking works anyway.

Nada666

Only half of a generation of Muslims are affected by this - the other half have always been banned from education.