Frustrated University of Ulster students held protests outside each of the university's four campuses across the Province, urging Employment and Learning Minister Sir Reg Empey to reconsider his proposal to increase tuition fees from next year.

Minister Empey made the announcement – which could see fees rising by at least £80 a year – last month, but has been met with resistance from many within the Employment and Learning Committee as well as current and prospective students across Ulster who said it would add to the increasing financial pressure students already face.

Yesterday students took to the streets to show their opposition to the proposals and called for all fees to be abolished.

Waving signs bearing slogans such as "Reg, don't Empey our pockets" and "Yes to education, no to fees", the students said any move to further increase fees would be "devastating" and "create a university education system only for the wealthy in society".

Nora Duncan, overall president of the University of Ulster students' union, said it was "outrageous that this is even being contemplated".

She said given the average student will leave university £25,000 in debt, any plans to increase fees would "only exacerbate these problems and make it more difficult for students who are already struggling as a result of the recession".

The students received support from the Alliance Party, some of whom joined in the protest at the university's Jordanstown campus.

Councillors Billy Webb and Lynn Frazer attended the rally and claimed students should not be "held to ransom over fees".