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Students stage fee rise protests Pupils plan university tuition fee rise occupations
(about 3 hours later)
Students are staging more protests against controversial plans to triple tuition fees in England and cut university funding. Pupils at some London schools say they will sleep in school to protest against plans to triple tuition fees in England and cut university funding.
Demonstrations are taking place in England and Scotland in the build-up to Thursday's vote in the Commons. There have been demonstrations across England and Scotland in the build-up to Thursday's Commons' vote on the controversial plans.
School pupils in London are protesting too - one school is sending children home early because of fears about a planned occupation. Protests are taking place at Camden School for Girls and Acland Burghley schools in the north of the capital.
Ministers have announced new concessions to their proposals.Ministers have announced new concessions to their proposals.
They say they are fair and will safeguard the future of England's universities.
Tuition fees are due to rise to a maximum of £9,000 a year from the present level of £3,290 - a move which ministers say will secure the future of university funding.Tuition fees are due to rise to a maximum of £9,000 a year from the present level of £3,290 - a move which ministers say will secure the future of university funding.
The changes are due to take place from 2012.The changes are due to take place from 2012.
Concessions Sleep-ins
The National Union of Students has been staging a national day of action and on Thursday there will be a lobby of Parliament. Academics and other university staff took part.
About 1,000 demonstrators marched through Leeds and peaceful protests took place in about a dozen other cities in England and Scotland.
Occupations have been continuing at about 20 universities, including Exeter and Leeds - where protestors have been in a lecture theatre since 24 November.
In London, some pupils at Camden School for Girls say they are staging an overnight occupation, before joining the demonstrations planned in London on Thursday.
BBC News spoke to a 17-year-old who said he was inside the school's sixth-form hall, where he said about 100 pupils planned to spend the night. The group then sent pictures of the hall.
The boy, who did not give his name, said: "The occupation is going ahead. It's pretty successful. At the moment there are about 100 people here."
Pupils say they have been asked to leave several times, but were determined to stay.
"We are not budging," said the student. "We want to show our solidarity with the rest of students nationwide."
The pupils attended lessons as normal during the day but then joined a sit-in in the sixth-form hall during breaks.
At Acland Burghley School in north London, pupils were sent home early because of a planned occupation.
A message from the head teacher Jo Armitage on the school's website said the decision was taken on the grounds of pupil safety.
But later, sixth-form students were allowed back in to hold a protest meeting in the school hall, which the school said would end at 1800 GMT.
Pupils arrived this afternoon with sleeping bags and told the BBC News website they were planning on staying.
Joseph, 17, said: "We are going to occupy the school overnight. I don't think it's right that the government is increasing fees to £9,000.
"The government is condemning students to heavy debts for years to come."
Ms Armitage later told BBC News the pupils were not being allowed to stay and she expected them to leave.
Concessions
On Wednesday morning, the government said the £21,000 salary at which graduates start repaying their fees would be uprated each year for inflation.On Wednesday morning, the government said the £21,000 salary at which graduates start repaying their fees would be uprated each year for inflation.
The plan had been to increase it in line with inflation every five years.The plan had been to increase it in line with inflation every five years.
And more part-time students will be able to apply for student loans. They will become eligible if they study for a quarter of the year rather than a third as planned.And more part-time students will be able to apply for student loans. They will become eligible if they study for a quarter of the year rather than a third as planned.
On Thursday, the controversial plans on tuition fees will be put to a vote in the House of Commons, with Liberal Democrat MPs under continued pressure over their pre-election pledges not to vote for a fee rise. In London, a flash "teach-in" demonstration was held by protestors at Euston Station.
The National Union of Students is staging a national day of action on Wednesday and on Thursday there will be a lobby of parliament. Academics and other university staff are joining in. Earlier, a group dressed as suffragettes demonstrated outside the constituency offices of Lib Dem minister Lynne Featherstone in north London.
Peaceful protests are taking place in Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Coventry, Exeter, Gloucestershire, Sheffield, Stafford, Worcester, Warwick, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, among other places, the NUS says.
Suffragettes
In London, a group dressed as suffragettes demonstrated outside the constituency offices of Lib Dem minister Lynne Featherstone in North London.
NUS women's officer Olivia Bailey said as equalities minister, Ms Featherstone was a key target for students wanting to persuade Lib Dems to vote against the changes.NUS women's officer Olivia Bailey said as equalities minister, Ms Featherstone was a key target for students wanting to persuade Lib Dems to vote against the changes.
She said women would suffer more under the proposals because they would take longer to pay off their student loans and therefore pay more interest.She said women would suffer more under the proposals because they would take longer to pay off their student loans and therefore pay more interest.
"We are dressed as suffragettes because the real suffragettes fought for women's rights and for women's rights to education," she told BBC News."We are dressed as suffragettes because the real suffragettes fought for women's rights and for women's rights to education," she told BBC News.
"If this bill is passed it will be a step backwards for women's education.""If this bill is passed it will be a step backwards for women's education."
It has now been confirmed by the Lib Dems that its ministers will vote for the tuition fee rise, even though they could have abstained under the coalition agreement.
School occupation
The latest protest - as with the earlier ones - has spread to school pupils.
At the Camden School for Girls in north London, pupils are staging sit-ins in the sixth form at break-times and are aiming to sleep in the school tonight.
And at the Acland Burghley School in north London, pupils are being sent home early because of fears about a planned occupation.
A message from the head teacher Jo Armitage on the school's website says: "An occupation of the school is planned in protest against university tuition fees.
"As this has been widely publicised it is likely to attract large numbers of students and the general public and I cannot ensure students' safety in school."
Older students were allowed to leave at lunch time but younger ones are only being allowed to leave early with parents' permission.
Students in Scotland are staging protests too - even though the changes being voted on on Thursday will only affect England directly.Students in Scotland are staging protests too - even though the changes being voted on on Thursday will only affect England directly.
They are worried a tuition fee rise in England will fuel calls for the re-introduction of graduate contributions in Scotland and mean that Scottish students studying in England will incur more debts.They are worried a tuition fee rise in England will fuel calls for the re-introduction of graduate contributions in Scotland and mean that Scottish students studying in England will incur more debts.
Demonstrations are taking place in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Aberdeen and Dundee. Demonstrations took place in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Aberdeen and Dundee.
Liam Burns, president of NUS Scotland, said: "Thousands of students, pupils, teachers and workers across Scotland are braving sub-zero temperature and dangerous roads to make it clear to people and politicians all over the UK that the Westminster vote to increase tuition fees is far from an English-only matter". Liam Burns, president of NUS Scotland, said: "Thousands of students, pupils, teachers and workers across Scotland are braving sub-zero temperature and dangerous roads to make it clear to people and politicians all over the UK that the Westminster vote to increase tuition fees is far from an English-only matter."
The Welsh Assembly has announced that university fees will rise in Wales to up to £9,00 , but that Welsh students will have to pay no more than about £3,000 wherever they study in the UK. The Welsh Assembly has announced that university fees will rise in Wales to up to £9,000, but that Welsh students will have to pay no more than about £3,000 wherever they study in the UK.
Students going to Wales from England will be expected to pay full costs.Students going to Wales from England will be expected to pay full costs.
A lecturers' union is warning one in three English universities is at risk from the government's plans for universities in England.A lecturers' union is warning one in three English universities is at risk from the government's plans for universities in England.
The University and College Union says 49 out of 130 universities could face serious financial difficulties - and some could face mergers or closure.The University and College Union says 49 out of 130 universities could face serious financial difficulties - and some could face mergers or closure.
The government insists the plans are fair and will safeguard the future of England's universities.