By the time you read this, the Coalition Government will have voted on the thorny subject of tuition fees.
And thorny it truly is. Much as we would like to pay for our students to study at University, it is simply not affordable.
The last Government is culpable here. Pushing for a target of 50% of our young people to go to University was unrealistic and led to a hike in costs.
We used to have the best University system in the world.
Maintaining that gold standard is virtually impossible when strapped for cash.
The best Universities have threatened to go private – a possibility Lord Browne’s reforms, some of which the Coalition has adopted, are intended to prevent.
It is hard not to feel for our students. The threefold increase in fees, with repayment interest at 3% plus inflation, is tough.
What worries me is that the poorest and brightest students – those we most want to attract – will be put off.
Starting life with a hefty debt, even if there are 30 years in which to pay it off, focuses the mind.
And today, as we all know, a University education does not guarantee success or a job.
Some courses currently on offer are barely worth the paper they’re written on.
Damning research from the Higher Education Statistics Agency shows that 19% of students drop out or change course in the first year – that’s almost one in five.
If students become more discerning about where they spend their fees, some universities will fail.
I would strongly support creating new, vocational courses and reinvigorating apprenticeships, to be paid for from the public purse. Sponsorship by private companies should be encouraged.
The Government deserves some sympathy too. It is dealing with a situation it has inherited.
Unfortunately, the Welsh education minister chose last week to fan the flames by confirming that Welsh students would not pay a penny, whether they study in Wales or Britain.
The same has long been true of Scottish students.
A solution to the West Lothian question looks increasingly urgent.
For now, we will focus on improving primary and secondary education, so that University truly represents a gold standard.
And for now, that means charging tuition fees.