Tuesday, September 29, 2009

My Accidental Education

Who would have thought that being an arrogant prick could lead to a personal transformation?

I refused to take a test of my literacy and numeracy as being beneath my dignity, and as I pompously stalked away the call from the Education Manager wafted down the corridor. "Would you like to take a degree?"

Hell, yes. And that was the start. Things have changed since then and it is more difficult to sign up.

And who has paid for my studies? My first degree was funded by the Prisoners Education Trust and the Open University. My Masters degree was supported by Quaker Peace and Social Witness, the PET, the Hardman Trust and generous individuals.

My PhD is proving to be more difficult to fund and I may have to take a few months off. But rest assured, the taxpayer had pretty much nothing to do with any of my educational progress. I still wish someone could explain to me exactly what the £35,000 a year it costs to keep us here gets spent on.

7 comments:

  1. At least you haven't wasted your time.

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  2. Maybe the person who posts your blogs for you could have a look at this and see if it's any use to you...

    http://www.findaphd.com/students/funding.asp

    I hope you get it sorted soon :)

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  3. Gaina, thanks for the pointer, I will see Ben gets the information.

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  4. Could Editor or some other technical whiz set up some kind of online donation fund?

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  5. Very good point, elf. I think there's a number of us who'd welcome that.

    I think you're costing us rather more than £35G, Ben. In May 2007 the Rowntree Foundation reckoned it was £49K.

    But let's not quibble. You are much too expensive. I deeply resent every penny of my taxes spent on locking you, and almost all the rest of you, up -- and on paying barristers for the repeat business they enjoy as a result of the rehabilitative (ie, buggerupperative) regime operated by HM Prison Service.

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  6. Might the Guardian pay indirectly for Ben's contributions by helping with his tuition/research?

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  7. I have to laugh at Charles posts - dear Sir, I presume the embalming fluid has gone to one's head?

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