SRC Reporter Defends His Report

Peter Franks seems to have rather missed the point of my comments in my SRC report (Salient No. 13).

First, as to our "unjust and inequitable" education system. I agree with Mr Renwick and Mr Franks that there are injustices and inequalities in the system - no one would seriously claim otherwise. But I cannot see how such generalisations can be relevant in a discussion of student bursaries. Mr Franks seems to think I go along with government policy on bursaries - I don't, and I agree with most of the points he made at the meeting and in his letter concerning the students' case.

However, I dispute the effectiveness of his methods. If students wanted to make their point about bursaries, I don't think the [unclear: answer] was to "jump on the band waggon of protest" at the opening of Parliament. What did that achieve? Very little. Every group was shouting for its own particular cause, the result was confused and meaningless.

Much more effective could be John Blincoe's call for all students to march on Parliament in protest about bursaries. I would fully support such a move, but I was not prepared to go down to Parliament with a hotch-potch of dissatisfied groups, many of which I had no sympathy with at all.

If students at Vic feel strongly about the faults in our education system they should take the time to present a full written report on the matter. This could be ratified by the SRC and presented to the government: much more effective than isolated attacks on the system.

I hope Mr Franks can now see that my criticisms lie mainly in the effectiveness of his approach, and that I am as keen as he is to see the faults ironed out of our education system