After recently appointing former rally driver Lord Drayson to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), John Denham should know a thing or two about cars – like the fact that they don’t work very well with the accelerator and the brake both pressed to the floor. But his approach to increasing university participation is exactly that.
In 1999, the Government promised to get 50 per cent of young people to university by 2010. Yet the figure remains below 40 per cent, and has barely risen in eight years. In fact, at the current rate it would take the Government until 2124 to meet its target.
We support the aspiration of increased participation but at the moment it plainly isn’t happening. There is obviously a problem. But after the DIUS’s £200m funding ‘miscalculation’ resulted in cuts to the amount of grant students will receive next year (the Government still hasn’t said by how much), we now have a situation where ministers are actively hindering expansion.
All universities have just received a letter from the Higher Education Funding Council for England asking them to ‘review their planned recruitment for 2009/10’ and warning there could be no extra places in 2010/11.
It is absurd to have a target for 50 per cent participation and then specifically to prohibit universities from meeting it. It is like trying to drive a car with both the accelerator and brake pressed to the floor and you don’t have to be Lord Drayson to understand why that approach from John Denham is unlikely to succeed.
Comment by Ironduke on November 14, 2008 at 12:26 pm
We should fund the number of uiversity graduates that the economy requires in the future. It that is 40% then so be it. We should also treat it as an investment in the future and fund it. Student loans should be abolished and student apprenticeships should be re-introduced for required skills that are means test funded. It sends the wrong message to expect youg people to start their working life with a debt.
Comment by sandyd on November 15, 2008 at 2:00 am
for a start I’d guess you’d blow both engine and breaks. secondly I am rather concerned about how many people are in University and some people who are there who really shouldn’t be. It would not be right to make places left right and center randomly when there will be no space in the workplace afterwards. University should also be competitive. University should only expand where the Job’s market needs it.
Comment by SLT on November 16, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Students require more flexibility so that they can work in between university, they should not be given a free ride but at the same time it is not right for them to have to come out of university with massive debts. Having a job while studying often helps the students to keep their feet firmly on the ground, as well as giving them the extra money to help them through university. They should also be given advice on managing their money as it is quite common for a student to spend their loans on partying and other non-essential things. Surely giving them a firm grounding while they are at university we help them in their future lives, and save money for the government, and us hard working tax payers.