This year, the marketisation of education, in line with the capitalist profit motive, has led to students being locked in accommodation, with no food, no lessons and paying immense rent. Students in Manchester have been caged into their accommodation. This has led to more anger and radicalisation from students. We are ready to fight back! The MSF is here to harness that anger and help students fight against these appalling conditions. Read our analyses of what has been happening to students.
The Tory government has been attacking archaeology on several fronts in recent years – in schools, universities and museums. This is part of the government’s plans to cut funding by 50% for Art and Design courses, of which archaeology is considered part of. These cuts are a clear and rather brutal attack on our education system, and the arts and cultural sector in general.
The pandemic has exposed the deep inequality and contradiction that underpins capitalist society. In particular, – the scandals of landlordism and marketised higher education. This has led to a deep anger amongst the youth (a very large proportion of whom are private tenants) towards landlords.
Just four days before A-Level results day, King’s College London announced that Clearing spaces will no longer be available, despite having offered them in previous years. By responding to a comment under an Instagram post, the university explained their position by saying ‘we’ve been able to fill the required spaces on all our undergraduate courses for 2021 entry. Therefore, we will not be entering Clearing and Adjustment this year’.
In early July, , the University of Manchester (UoM) announced that they would continue online lectures in the new academic year, without reducing the tuition fees paid by students. This has sparked outrage among students, with over 3000 students immediately signing a petition to condemn the move.
The past year has been a traumatic one for students, facing isolation and uncertainty. But it has also provided a valuable experience in organising and taking action. These lessons must be taken forward in the fight to defend education.
The Archaeology department and the Schools of Languages and Cultures (SLC) at the University of Sheffield fight for their future. The scandal ridden review process of the Archaeology department highlights the need for democratic control of universities. The University Executive Board (UEB) has been lying to students, disposed of meeting Read more…
In the past few months, discontent among Chinese youth is increasingly bursting to the surface, both online and on campuses, in defiance of state censorship and repression. A widespread proliferation of anti-capitalist memes and open dissent against the regime online speak to a general undercurrent of rage and resentment, which has also seen university students launching struggles across two provinces.
On Monday (24th May), the University of Liverpool was brought to a standstill by academic staff opposing proposed job cuts. The dispute has unified academic departments in a way never seen before, and shaken the ground beneath the feet of senior management.
The Lancaster rent strike emerged during the national student movement against universities and landlords during the COVID-19 pandemic. From Newcastle to Bristol thousands of students withheld their rent, and Lancaster was a shining example of this, winning a significant victory for students. The student rent-strike began in January 2021. 1,500 Read more…
Students at the Uni of Nottingham (UoN) are occupying the ESLC building to protest tuition fees, mistreatment by university management and the government. This has been done in solidarity with Sheffield Hallam and the Universities of Manchester and Sheffield who will be holding their own occupations, as students across the country increasingly shout ‘Enough!’
Capitalist states are thus arming themselves with greater coercive powers and undermining the right to organise in advance. Without a working-class fightback, any curtailment of democratic rights introduced with the excuse of the pandemic will be made permanent and used to stifle the ability of workers and youth, and their organisations to organise and fight.
The murder of Sarah Everard has exposed the day-to-day dangers still facing women under capitalism. Across the country, people have begun to protest against this oppression, and the institutions that enforce it. Birmingham is no different, as students began to mobilise in response to reports of attempted kidnappings, sexual assault Read more…
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