PARIS — It’s hour 50 of the education reform demonstration as a circle made up of about 25 people moves clockwise in front of Hotel de Ville to protest the new education reform the Parisian government wants to pass. The names of universities written on an upside-down cardboard box in the middle of the circle suggests if the government passes this reform, the universities will suffer and the quality of education will decrease.

“I think (education) is where it is most important to invest,” said Marion Berges, a student who needs to take the competitive exam to become a teacher. “It is a fixture of our generation and country… we already have a lot of problems of education in France, and if we stop fighting, we lose everything.”

There are two main points the protesters detest the most about the reform. The first is if the bill were to be passed by the government, there would no longer be a test required for those hoping to become teachers. Currently, the system requires individuals to take a competitive test, which takes a year to study in order to become a teacher.

Secondly, the reform would reduce the amount of time teachers have to conduct research in their specific fields. Professors are required to spend half of their time teaching and the rest doing research.

The protesters, mostly comprised of professors who teach at the French public universities, blame French President Nicolas Sarkozy for pushing his agenda and for being the reform’s biggest supporter.

“The government has based the policy on pure lies,” said Mr. Lecerde, who has taught literature for twenty years at Sorbonne and has been on strike now for six weeks. “They give false facts to the public. The government will speak to minor unions that do not represent the teachers and then will tell the press that they are working things out with the teachers’ union.”

By passing the reform, Sarkozy’s government says they will be simplifying the schooling system. But Sarkozy has not gained respect from teachers, especially since he has publicly told the world of his distaste for classic literature, Lecerde said.

While reading “La Princesse de Cleve,” a classic French novel that is on most schools’ reading lists in France, Sarkozy said he thought it was difficult to read and could not imagine why anyone would bother.

“His culture is that of the lowest kind of pop culture TV culture you find on the garbage TV channels in France,” Lecerde said.

Members of the unions protesting the reform have gone to subways and street corners reading aloud passages from “La Princesse de Cleve.” According to the Daily Telegraph, sales of the book have been increasing since Sarkozy made his statements.

While walking clockwise during the 51st hour, the circle grew larger with the arrival of the new protesters replacing the previous protesters after their two-hour shift. The marchers sang songs during the demonstration, including The Bare Necessities from The Jungle Book in French. One song even has its own dance that has the people stop, step back, step forward, move to the outside of the circle and then the circle begins to move in a clockwise motion as before. A few marchers had pans and wooden spoons in hand to keep the rhythm of the song going. 

The protesters so far have decided not to stop until the government is willing to sit down with the teachers’ union to discuss a negotiation.

LONDON – One common factor among most London universities and college students today is their feeling of confusion and frustration towards increasing tuition and fees.

Stragan, a sixth year student from the University of London, believes if the English government decided to put the money used to fund the war into education, college would be free for students.

He agrees however that one thing the government and universities are doing to help the students is offering required course books at campus libraries.

Although many people oppose the increase in tuition fees, others haven’t been slammed by the increased tuition yet. According to Rachel and Alaa Tarabzouni, two students from Newcastle University fees do not seem to be increasing drastically enough to take notice.

Newcastle University is located in Newcastle, UK an up and coming town about three hours away from London by the rail according to ncl.ac.uk.

The cost for a year of education for full-time student according to Newcastle.ac.uk for 2009 to 2010 is $4,637.87. 

Some students are completely unaware of the recent increase to tuition and fees.

Another student from the University of London, Wafa Yani, an international student from Sudan, was not pleased to hear the news.

“It would be a bad issue if there is an increase in fees,” Yani said. “Education should be free. It is a mandatory issue and should be affordable to anyone.”

Yani came to London from Sudan to get an education. She is able to pay for the University of London tuition fees on her own without a scholarship.

According to londonexternal.ac.uk, updated February 2009, the total cost for a degree at the University of London is from $4,018 to $5,453.

Students never have been glad to pay college fees or tuition. Rachel Armstrong graduated from the Institute of Education in 2007, and thought even then fees were too high.

“The reason I did not have trouble paying for books was because I got assisted funding because I am dyslexic,” Armstrong said.

Many students feel their time is already occupied with school and have very little opportunities to get jobs.

Charlie Warinwaoght, who attends Goldsmiths University of London, had mixed emotions about the response the English government has given to why the price of education is getting more expensive.

On a BBC report, the English government said, “Graduates benefit from having gained a degree—through wider career opportunities and earnings—so ought to contribute something.”

“I kind of agree with that,” Warinwaoght said. “In Scotland, Scottish students don’t have to pay for school. If they make it work there, why can’t we do it here?”

The vast majority of students have already decided which side they take on the fee increase issue.

Biomedical sciences major Tolani Higo, who is finishing her second year at the University College London, feels the government is scaring away people with the fees.

Higo believes that anyone that wants a college education deserves to get an education without having to worry about the costs.

According to the BBC, ministers have predicted it will take students thirteen years to pay off all their debts.

Most students said they have not thought about leaving their school to get a job, but some said they might have thought about not going to school if they knew before they started how much college would cost them now.

“My dad told me that if he knew how much it would be for tuition, he would have asked me to go somewhere else someone less expensive,” said Tuealora Adisa, a student from UCL.

Many students are unsure why tuition costs continuing to rise when they see no difference in the universities they attend.

Even colleges in the United States have been raising their tuition fees.

According to SFGate.com, Gov. Schwarzenegger plans to raise tuition for California State University and University of California campuses more than two hundred dollars a semester.

The average cost of tuition for a California State University is $3,048 for an academic year according to csumentor.edu.

The average sum of tuition, fees and living costs for an academic year at a California State University, a student pays $18,116 says californiacolleges.edu.

The University of California system’s tuition, fees and living costs average about $25,300 for an academic year per student.