Madam, – Andrew Abbott (November 5th) highlights the fact that a degree course in medicine costs €40,000 per annum (paid in full by non-EU students). A BA degree costs a fraction of this. In both cases, the taxpayer subsidises 100 per cent of the fees; in reality the budding doctor receives perhaps €200,000 more taxpayer support than the budding teacher (a typical employment for a BA).
A doctor’s earning expectation is dramatically greater than that of a BA.
Would it not be sensible and equitable to subsidise all students equally up to the approximate cost of a BA degree and to require all those who take more expensive degrees to repay the excess over some years after graduation? – Yours, etc,