Alex Gerroll, Manchester Socialist Party

Across the country colleges face government funding challenges, falling educational standards, and declining pay for staff. 37% of colleges will operate a deficit in 2026, up from 16% in 2011 according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. College teacher pay has fallen in real terms over the same period, as inflation has consistently outpaced wage growth they are now paid 18% less than they were in 2011.

As wages have not kept pace with higher living costs, many college workers have to take second jobs or face financial hardship, all while trying to maintain teaching quality. Between 2011 and 2020 spending per student fell 14%. This reduction has affected teaching resources, library access, lab equipment, and student support services.

Austerity is being administered to both colleges and students, making it impossible to maintain educational standards. In my own college, even routine purchases like paper require a two-week approval process – a small but telling example of how austerity has reshaped everyday educational provision. Students are subject to safeguarding regimes that often limit our autonomy without meaningful participation in how those rules are designed or implemented.

All of these factors contribute to a suffocating college experience for a lot of young people. Not to mention the pressures on the teachers to perform in these conditions, barely surviving themselves. Workers organised in education unions, including the University and College Union (UCU), taking collective action, as has happened in many colleges across the country this year already, can win better working conditions and higher wages.

To fight back against these pressures, students need to collectively organise too. Getting in touch to help set up a Socialist Students society at your local college is a good first step if you have an interest in affecting change and finding like-minded people. You will be able to receive support from Socialist Students, which brings together groups from across the country as well as your nearest university Socialist Students branch.

If you want to find out more, come to Socialist Students’ annual conference, this year being held at University Place, University of Manchester on 14 February.

Socialist Students says:

• Fund our education, take the wealth off the super-rich! We need the resources necessary for the education we deserve and for the pay and conditions our lecturers need
• We need fighting democratic student organisations that can mobilise students around actions to fight for our education
• For democratic control of our education, with curriculums, policies and how schools are run decided democratically by representatives of students, staff and the local community