Just started an online petition

As a full-time OU student I don't any maintenance grant - students at other 'traditional' universities do. This is because the government consider my course (3 yr Maths BSc degree) to be part-time - the same course at a 'traditional' university gets you a maintenance grant.

If you think this is unfair and discriminatory please sign my online e-petition - link below

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/70773

Oh and as a full time student I can't claim JSA either!

Many thanks to those who do sign for taking the time.

COYR

 

As a fellow O.U. student I'm pleased to sign it.

 

Bump

 

Signed.

 

Signed.

I was an OU student back in the late 70s and a half credit course was about £25 and a Summer School week was about £120-£150.
I noticed last year when I had been doing some of the free courses that OU fees were as high as full time study.

I can't see how the OU can justify it's high charges when you may only get 4 or 5 lectures per half credit a year and very little face to face contact with your tutors who in my Day were part time staff from other Universities and Polys. When I was full time at Leeds I had between 23-30 hours a week in lecture theaters and Labs. I dread to think what the 8 credits which make up my OU degree would cost today.

The Tories always had a dislike of the OU or the University of the Air as Harold Wilson and Jenny Lee it's founders were originally going to call it. It was nearly closed by the Tories when the Grantham Witch, aka Maggie Thatcher, was education secretary but it was saved only because at that time over 50% of its students were School Teachers and it was a cheap way of producing graduates at the time when teaching was moving to an all graduate profession. That's the only credit I will ever give to her.

Manlito ex OU number H030647X .

 

Why go to the OU if it's a full time course , may be my ignorance but always thought OU was set up for people who wanted to study in their own time over a longer period? ... Not having a go just interested

 

Been looking at OU myself as I can't find the part time course I want to do at a traditional uni but I don't see how they justify what they charge (ie basically full tuition fees you'd pay at a normal uni) when there are barely any lectures or people to speak to for help.

 

Personal circumstances really

It would cost the taxpayer much money for me to move closer to my University of choice - do I move just myself or uproot my family as well?
It also saves the taxpayer c£3.5k pa in tuition fees

 

Not having been at a 'traditional' university I wouldn't know about number/quality of lectures there but certainly on my course I've had plenty of proctivity from my lecturers already - there's also plenty of 'lessons' via my computer as well as on-line tutorials as well as day schools. I also thought that part of the learning process at degree level was to DIY - I may be wrong on that but that's how I see it. The OU fees for my course are c£5.6k pa c/w £9k pa with 'traditional' universities.

 

Ok good luck