InQuire www.inquiremedia.co.uk
SPA ‘Highly Commended’ Best Publication 2019
Students speak out: the government is not working for us
“Your campus, your voice” Monday 5 October 2020 16.1
The search for a vaccine
Science and Technology page 19
Photo by Aslan Ntumba
Advice for the Class of 2020
Features page 12
Sally Rooney
book comparison Culture page 16 By Rory Bathgate Newspaper Editor An overwhelming majority of students at UK universities do not believe that the government is “acting in their best interests”, according to a new study. The findings, published by the National Union of Students (NUS) on 7 September reveals that 67% of students did not agree with the statement that the government was “acting in their best interests”, up from 40% when asked the same in a survey conducted in March. The study was conducted in order to “understand more about how students and recent graduates feel about the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic”. The findings come at a critical time for the country, as students settle into their new accommodations in university towns amidst the worst health crisis in a century. A recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) Survey shows that though all age groups are experiencing an increase in positive tests, “current rates are highest in the 17 to 24 age group”. In a statement, NUS President Larissa Kennedy said that “students have been ignored throughout this pandemic. The government have let them fall through the cracks in support despite many students struggling to pay their rent, afford basic necessities or find employment”. “This government’s messaging has
been confusing and unclear,” she went on to say, explaining that this has led to misunderstandings among students when it comes to following distancing guidelines. “Young people are fed up, but do not be mistaken they are ready to take action. The inaction of this government has politicised an entire generation who have been let down by the mishandling of the pandemic. And while a UK election may be a few years away, as we’ve already proven, we will make our voices heard loud and clear.” Moreover, the survey found that three in five students “do not trust the UK government to do the right thing for students in the event of a second wave of Coronavirus”, an event which, by admission of the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the UK is “now seeing”. Questions are already being raised about the government’s plans for students in the second wave, with health secretary Matt Hancock refusing to rule out the possibility of forcing students to remain in their university towns over the Christmas break in a recent interview on BBC Radio 4’s today program. Mr Hancock said that he “had learned not to rule things out”, going on to state “this is not our goal, I don’t want to leave you with the expectation - but we have to work on all contingencies at the moment”. No official plan has at time of writing been announced to keep students away from home during the
holidays. However, it does highlight the great emphasis that the government is placing on the detrimental potential of students as carriers of virus. InQuire spoke to one third year student who said that “it’s keeping with textbook Conservative tradition, in that the government is once again finding a group (this time students) to frame for what is a gargantuan national problem”. He went on to say that “to top it off, there is seemingly no national plan whatsoever for how the government intends to proceed with what could soon be a national crisis of displaced students unable to get home. Not only incredibly frustrating but also extremely worrying too”. With the 23 September announcement that there are confirmed cases of COVID-19 on campus, Kent students are more aware than ever of the proximity of the virus, as well as the need to both abide by the rules and be supported. Amitesh Das, a third year film student at Kent, said that in his view “everybody is failing — the government, the universities, and the students; except the virus”. He explained that “the government is trying to curb student activity, but there’s not enough police to impose the laws. Campus Security is running around, understaffed, doing nothing
as they’re stuck in circles of bureaucracy. Students aren’t innocent either — you’ve got to be really special in these times to party with multiple people”. Parties held illegally in student dorms have been linked to the outbreaks of Coronavirus amongst students in Glasgow and Manchester. The release of the much delayed NHS track and trace app, which registers contact with other users of the app and sends out warnings to those who have interacted with users who reports symptoms, could help to slow the transmission of the virus, particularly among the more technologically aware younger demographics. The app also has a builtin scanner for logging entry to bars and restaurants, so long as they have an official NHS QR code at the door. Given the emphasis placed on the danger of students mixing on nights out, this could prove to be an invaluable feature of the app. However, criticism has already been levelled at the app for its inability to function on older smartphones. Apple users operating on anything older than iOS 13.5 – in other words, iPhone 6 or earlier – find themselves unable to use the app at all.
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