Wanafunzi-Tunajiuza tupate fedha za ada

STRUGGLING students are turning to the seedier side of life to pay their steep education bills.

The National Union of Students say increased living costs and tuition fees are even forcing some youngsters to take up escort work and prostitution.

And from 2012 when universities in England will be allowed to charge up to £9,000 per year in tuition fees, almost triple the current maximum, the pressure on hard-up students will be even greater.

The NUS estimate 20 per cent of women working in lap dancing clubs are students.

And research recently published by the University of Kingston found that the number of college-goers who knew someone who had worked in the sex industry had rocketed up from three per cent ten years ago to 25 per cent.

The NUS claims were backed by pressure group the English Collective of Prostitutes.

They say that the number of calls to their helpline has doubled in the last year.

Sarah Walker represents ECOP, which campaigns for rights for sex workers.

She said: "We have seen an increase year-on-year since the time that the student grants system was axed. There has definitely been a spike again since tuition fee changes were brought in.

"It is anecdotal evidence but we have definitely seen an increase."

And she said as most students kept their work in the porn market under wraps for fear of being expelled from university, the laws needed changing to protect them.

Ms Walker said: "I remember there was a group of women working together as prostitutes who were students and if anything happened to them they were terrified to come forward.

"They were worried that they might get kicked off their course or not be able to get a good job in the future.

"The laws need changing."

An education department spokesman insisted that the Government provide financial help for students struggling to make ends meet.

He said: "If students are really struggling financially, they need to speak directly to their tutors."

Here we meet three students who joined the sex trade to help them pay their way through university.