[nickdothutton]

The UK student loan book regularly changes hands on the secondaries market at half of face value. Make of that what you will. Draw whatever conclusions you might about the market value of some of the education provided.

I support anyone's wish to gain an education, including the study of esoteric subjects if that is what interests them. However many young people have been mis-sold an education in the belief that it would result in a well paying job. Of course the young are the easiest people of all upon which to perpetrate such a scam. There are very few with a film studies degree, who manage to secure a job as film director. About 500 people every year study golf course management. We have about 2500 golf courses.

[quickthrowman]

> The UK student loan book regularly changes hands on the secondaries market at half of face value. Make of that what you will. Draw whatever conclusions you might about the market value of some of the education provided.

The price of the debt says nothing about the value of education. The price is simply a reflection of the likelihood the debt will be paid.

[crote]

The debt will be paid when the person receiving the education is able to obtain a halfway-decent-paying job. If the debts aren't being paid, it means the education didn't result in employment.

Considering the whole point of education is to be prepared for a job, it means the education is not worth very much.

[ahartmetz]

Employment is not the whole point of education. The modern university started about 200 years ago in Germany with humanist ideals. An educated population was seen as a value in itself - many subjects taught weren't even very practical and that is still true today.