Personally, although I do not think it should be free, money should not be an issue if you would like (and have the aptitude) to study further. I think the loan/amount should be "attached" to you ID number - and a small payment of the loan should be made once you start working - maybe linking it to National Insurance? But it should be low interest and paid back over 20 or so years - maybe a similar deal to a mortgage. I think many Scandinavian countries work like this. But in my opinion, if it was free we would have to many students not taking it seriously - I do not see what the problem is with student loans - but needs government backing AND an easy, automated, foolproof way of getting the loans paid back.
I also do not like the way a black and a white kid can go to the same school, yet have different requirements to get into a course. I do fully understand why there should be different entrance requirements for different schools/areas though and it should be based on this, not color, IMO.
But nice article - esp the laying out of the figures.
