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  • "Roy'O:
    I do hope you're enjoying getting such a response to your rude and ignorant comments, and also through your ironic attempt to correct a minor spelling error. I hope you feel some satisfaction in criticizing a 16 year old girl.

    So please, tell us all about your education; what qualifications you happen to have and if you yourself have gone to uni.
    It will be very interesting to see your background on this, and if your opinions have any ground.

    And i myself, am a sixth form student, studying maths and chemistry; both respectable academic subjects, and hope very much to become a teacher in the future. For this it is imperative for me to go to university - no college or school offers and apprenticeship.
    I have a part time job, and apart from living with my parents and having the necessaries of food etc, i pay for myself. I have never, ever sponged off my parents and I certainly don't intend to in later years, however, with this ridiculous increase of fees i honestly cannot see a way of being able to pay for my education.

    i do agree somewhat, to university being open to too many people, but surely having a highly educated nation is far more beneficial than having it turn to depending on benefits and not being encouraged to succeed academically.

    And please, feel free to pick holes in this comment. Your arrogance will be very much appreciated."
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Chippenham students say tuition fee rise is unfair

The protest in Chippenham today The protest in Chippenham today

Students from Hardenhuish School gathered at the Buttercross in Chippenham town centre today to protest against the rise in university fees.

Around 30 youngsters met at 10am and were expecting others, including Sheldon pupils, to join throughout the day.

Many had made banners and placards decrying the rise in fees, and they were chanting rhymes including “Six k? No way!”

Organiser Chris King, 17, said: “The rises are totally unjust and unfair when you consider that most of the people in the cabinet either went to Uni for free or are millionaires.

“We just wanted to show that we’re angry about this and we’re not going to sit quietly and let this happen.”

Most of the students who gathered are around 17 years old, and so may be directly affected by the increase in tuition fees.

Chris, who is a member of the UK Youth Parliament and the Wiltshire Assembly of Youth, said: “The government are continuing our involvement with Afghanistan and Iraq, but they are unwilling to put money behind the education of young people in this country.

“We are the future doctors and nurses and teachers of this country. We are a Lib Dem area and Nick Clegg has gone back on his word to support the students.”

Chippenham MP Duncan Hames was invited to attend the protests but declined to attend as he is in Parliament today.

Another student, aged 16, who wants to attend Winchester or Exeter, was also at the protest.

He said: “It is a very cold day but we want to stand firm and prove our point.

“We definitely want this to be a peaceful protest, I really doubt that it would ever turn into something nasty. Lots of people here are really enthusiastic and we want to make our point.”

Police had attended Hardenhuish to walk the pupils to the Buttercross, and will be remaining with them until 3pm, when the protest ends.

Chippenham Beat Manager Ashleigh Jones said: “They are all very polite and well-behaved.

“The students have the right to protest, as long as it is peaceful. We need to be here in case anything happens or if the protest were to turn violent, but I don’t believe it will at this stage.”

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