The total outstanding student loan debt for people living in Northern Ireland has topped £5 billion for the first time.
NUS-USI President Ben Friel has issued a statement:
"The news that total outstanding student debt has reached £5 billion is an eyewatering reminder of the levels of debt our education system is heaping onto students and young people.
"This staggering student loan debt bubble is unsustainable and has only ever risen since tuition fees were introduced in 1998.
"In 2024, 3 in 5 students are having to work in excess of 20 hours per week, on top of full-time study, simply to meet the cost of living.
"We urgently need a review of the Higher Education Funding model in Northern Ireland."
ENDS.
READ FULL BBC ARTICLE: Student loans: Outstanding student debt in NI at record high - BBC News
