An idea I agree with, what subjects are useful? Science, engineering, medicine, law. We need those so fund them to keep the numbers up, otherwise if you want to do a more hobby type subject with limited job opportunities then you can choose to and fund it yourself.

But even if the student is paying fees, who is really paying? Why we are, well in the short term. The student is getting a loan, backed by the government as a very low interest rate, so it is government debt. I think it is really just a physiological difference in whether the future debt is tied to the individual or to the country as a whole.