Commenting on the Department for Education’s announcement of
changes to the higher education system, Geoff Barton, General
Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“We welcome steps to reduce student loan interest rates and we
understand the need to address the scale of the student loan
book. However, this comes with a sting in the tail as students
will now face 40 years rather than 30 years of repayments. We
also note that these reforms stop some way short of the
recommendations in the Augar Review to reduce tuition fees to
£7,500 per year and reintroduce maintenance grants for
disadvantaged students. This latter omission is particularly
disappointing in terms of improving social mobility and access to
university.
“We are concerned about the introduction of minimum eligibility
requirements and student number controls. The proposal that
students should have at least a Grade 4 pass in GCSE English and
maths effectively excludes around one third of pupils from
progressing to higher education. This is the proportion of pupils
who do not achieve these grades in a normal year.
“We should be doing more rather than less to support the progress
of this ‘forgotten third’, and a move to restrict their choices
sounds like removing a ladder up rather than levelling up.
“It is important to understand that higher education is not the
preserve of an academic elite. Many colleges and universities
work hard to improve access to under-represented groups of
students and improve their life chances. Our understanding is
that relatively few young people currently studying in higher
education have not attained at least a Grade 4 in GCSE English
and maths . Nevertheless, removing this route closes down another
option, and smacks of a lack of ambition on the part of the
government for the young people who most need our help and
support.
“Taken together we cannot escape the conclusion that these
reforms represent an attempt to save money by reducing the number
of students who access higher education and extending the loan
period to make sure that they pay back more. The appeal to the
Treasury is obvious but the hardest hit will once again be our
most disadvantaged young people.”
