STUDENTS FROM universities across Scotland will march on the capital on Wednesday to protest against £9,000 tuition fees for rest-of-UK (RUK) students in Scotland.

The increase in tuition fees to a maximum of £9,000 for students across the UK will also be highlighted on the day.

The demonstration coincides with a national day of action to defend education organised by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC).

The Facebook page for the event says, “It has been a year since the UK Parliament raised fees for universities, against manifesto promises and against the will of the public. That decision was wrong in 2010, and it is still wrong today.

“Now £9,000 fees are a reality in Scotland too, with Edinburgh University charging £36,000 for a four-year course, for RUK students, the highest in the UK. The Scottish Government has deregulated fees in Scotland to let this happen.”

The march will begin at the Scottish Parliament and will finish at the Scotland Office - the office of the UK Parliament in Scotland - in the New Town.

This demonstration takes place a week after thousands of students marched through London campaigning against the coalition government’s education policies.

Protest organisers have stressed that this should be a peaceful protest. Police and stewards will be in place to ensure that the march progresses safely.

Students are being bussed in from across the country to take part in the march. Charandeep Singh, President of the University of Strathclyde Students’ Association has confirmed to The Student that University of Strathclyde students would be involved in Wednesday’s march.

An organiser of the march, Edinburgh University Students' Association External Convenor and fourth year politics and social policy student Stuart Tooley told The Student,“On Wednesday we will be calling on the Scottish Government to reverse its decision on £9,000 fees for students from the rest of the UK.

“The government and universities entered into a gentlemen’s handshake on fees - it hasn’t even had Parliament’s approval. Now we have the most expensive fees in Europe.”

The Student will be covering the march live on Wednesday. There will be live updates from @TheStudentPaper and our reporters @alasdairdrennan, @AnnaFeintuck and @sammbradley. Logging on to www.studentnewspaper.org will also provide full coverage of the day’s events on our live blog.