OPINION - Dear Diane Dodds, £500 Isn’t Cutting It
Last summer I sat with my sister who had just finished her second year of university, and asked her thoughts on a year filled with strikes and the beginning of the pandemic that had disrupted her academic year. It seemed that in an instant, everything had changed. No longer could she socialise with friendships that were just beginning to blossom or attend classes in person. She looked to me and said, “Everyone says that university would be the best experience of my life and so far, it’s not at all”.
My heart ached for her. When I think back to my first years at Queen’s, it was filled with what you could call ‘typical’ university experiences, I made friends all over the world, experienced formals, social events and formed a wonderful friendship group. For my sister this has not been the case, the pandemic has spoiled her first taste of university.
Students are now getting a one-off payment of £500 to make up for these hardships. Is that it? It’s been nearly a year since this pandemic began and having watched students suffer through it, £500 does not begin to make up for the loss that the pandemic has made in the lives of students.
Gone are the days of nights out, social events and perhaps most importantly, the part times jobs that helped to fund our studies, rent and general living costs. The pandemic has not only left many suffering from depleting mental health, but has left many students struggling to survive financially.
Throughout the pandemic, there have been several government support funds available for various businesses, but for students, we have received nothing. We’ve still had to cover the cost of renting properties we cannot access, of buying books due to the lack of library resources and often, we’ve faced the burden of trying to help financially support our families through these trying times.
For every experience, friendship and penny that has been lost during this pandemic, £500 doesn’t seem to make a dent in the grand scheme of it all. I’m glad that something has finally been done, but this shouldn’t be a one of payment. The fight for continued support is needed. All students deserve better.
This is a message that many also support. What I admire most about QUB students is that no matter your background, age or nationality, we will always come together to fight for what is right. That’s why I was drawn to the Student’s Deserve Better Campaign who have highlighted the inequality of the new NI government scheme.
I can’t imagine what it’s like right now to be an international student who has travelled so far from home only to be isolated and not granted this £500. The same applies to part-time students, why does the government think that students who study part-time don’t deserve the same financial support?
I’d like to ask the NI Minister for the Economy, Diane Dodds, what’s next?
The effects of the pandemic will be felt for an extended period and we as students need not only financial help, but the guarantee that services such as mental health will be expanded and extensively funded to support students.
It’s time for MLAs to step up and fight for students.
I fully support the NUS-USI Students Deserve Better campaign and the aims they are trying to achieve. I would encourage students to seek out this campaign to see how they can be part of making student voices heard during this pandemic.
Finally, to my sister, I hope that this change will come, to help you get the university experience that you deserve.
Hannah McGlade is a MA Law student at Queen's University Belfast.