The DfE have put out what they call a "trial script" on the
publication tomorrow of the Government response to the Augar
Report on HE. It is expected that there will also be an embargoed
press notice on this later today (for tomorrow) and it is
unlikely to differ much from what is below.
- Education Secretary is expected to give an oral
statement tomorrow in Parliament.
Kick starting high-skilled, high-wage careers will be the central
ambition of major changes to higher education to be set out
tomorrow
Backed by the largest increase in government funding to support
students and teaching in the HE sector in a decade, the Education
Secretary and Minister for Higher and Further Education will
pledge to invest in lifelong flexible learning with a renewed
focus on ensuring better graduate outcomes.
Plans are expected to be laid out to introduce a Lifelong Loan
Entitlement (LLE) worth the equivalent of four years of post-18
education to support students to study, train, retrain or upskill
throughout their lives through flexible courses.
This will mean people wanting to train or re-train at any point
can balance this with other life commitments like mortgages and
families, with funding in place to support them to progress in
their careers.
The Prime Minister set out his Lifetime Skill
Guarantee in September 2020, promising a transformation of
the further education system so everyone can equip themselves
with the skills they need that lead to a fulfilling, well-paid
career.
Tomorrow Education Secretary and Minister for Higher and
Further Education will provide the final
part of the government’s response to the Augar Panel’s
independent report into the post-18 education system. The Skills
for Jobs White Paper, published in January 2021, has already
partially responded to Augar’s recommendations.
The response is expected to propose a balanced package of reforms
that will help make sure that students are well-equipped to
succeed after university, by placing more focus on courses that
deliver the best outcomes, for them and the economy.
More people than ever before are going to university, and while
most students graduate with the knowledge, creativity and skills
they need, not all students receive the same high quality of
teaching. Too often, students are taking on debt for courses that
will not help them earn more in the future.
For example, at 25 universities and other education providers,
less than half of students who begin a degree can expect to
finish that degree and find professional employment or further
study within 15 months of graduation.
The government will seek views on how to ensure young people are
encouraged to pursue the right path for them and receive a fair
deal for their investment if they choose to go to university.
This includes considering the introduction of minimum eligibility
requirements, to ensure students aren’t being pushed into higher
education before they are ready, and student number controls, so
that poor-quality, low-cost courses aren’t incentivised to grow
uncontrollably.
The proposed reforms are expected to make the system fairer for
students by making sure everyone that goes to university gets
high-quality teaching that leads to a well-paid graduate job.
The announcement is expected to confirm nearly £900m of new
investment in higher education including an additional £750m
which will be invested in high quality teaching and facilities,
including in science and engineering, subjects that support the
NHS and degree apprenticeships. This includes the largest
increase in government funding for the HE sector to support
students and teaching in over a decade.
The funding will also establish a new national scholarship scheme
to improve access for high achieving disadvantaged students to
either higher or further education or to an apprenticeship. The
Higher Education consultation is expected to include
considerations for options for the design and eligibility of
these scholarships such as whether to target students by
reference to a range of criteria, such as household
income and achieving certain grades at A level.
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
“Our universities are a great British success story. They are
powerhouses of innovation and are playing a key part in
revolutionising the skills system, helping making lifelong
learning possible with more flexibility and technical training.
“But we need to ensure that we are creating opportunities that
will not only open doors but will develop the talent our country
needs to prosper now and in the future.
“Higher education is an investment and we need to ensure that
graduates are being rewarded for the money, time and effort they
put into their studies with an educational experience and jobs
that match their skills and help contribute to the economy”.
