The chief executive of the Department of Education and Children says complete support for university fees has to go if statutory education is to be fully protected.
It follows an announcement on Friday that students will have to start paying towards their university fees - if plans are approved by Tynwald.Stuart Dobson says the scrapping of total fee support is the end of an golden era in the Isle of Man and that ensuring full services to primary and secondary schools and the college has to be the department's priority.
If the new plans are given the go-ahead by politicians at next month's sitting it could see some high-earning parents contributing around £25,000 for a standard three-year course.
Mr Dobson says they've been left with no choice:
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