I was of a generation who got a grant that we didn't have to pay off. My kids have been in the new system so they will have these debts, but they seem resigned to that. I think the interest should be set to a fair price so they stand a chance of paying it off. Of course when tuition fees were introduced all the universities set them at the maximum rate so that didn't help matters.
We have various politicians saying that people should not do 'less useful' degrees, however you measure that. There is a case for more apprenticeships and other alternatives. The idea is supposed to be to give people to skills they need to have a career and, hopefully, a decent quality of life. It should not be about milking the younger generation.
Ah yeah - the 'arts' was deemed less useful here, then science - so it depends on how the government sees it. I mean educated people can argue with you, right?