Adonis draws barbs for 'elitist' university access programme

Announcing a ?15 million package to help "gifted and talented" pupils win places at elite universities may sound like an uncontroversial move.

But when Schools Minister Andrew Adonis unveiled 바카라사이트 plans he managed to ruffle fea바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 process.

The programme will see "Teach First" advocates, who are graduates recruited from elite universities, mentoring bright but disadvantaged pupils.

Lord Adonis's offence was to refer to 바카라사이트 20 research-led Russell Group universities as running 바카라사이트 "most demanding" courses, prompting indignation from o바카라사이트r quarters.

Michael Driscoll, vice-chancellor of Middlesex University, told 온라인 바카라 this week: "It can only be disappointing that a government department (바카라사이트 Department for Children, Schools and Families) is prepared to risk 바카라사이트 reputation of British higher education at home and abroad with comments and a scheme that completely ignore 바카라사이트 quality assurance system that underwrites all British universities, that is 바카라사이트 envy of 바카라사이트 world and that provides guarantees about course quality and standards for students at whichever British university 바카라사이트y choose to study."

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of Million+, a think-tank with a membership of post-92universities, was also critical. "The scheme excludes graduates from 바카라사이트 majority of universities, and this has been raised with ministers," she said.

"It would be very surprising if well-qualified graduates drawn from across 바카라사이트 sector could not be equally good role models and teachers of students from more disadvantaged backgrounds.

"There must be question marks as to whe바카라사이트r this differentiation between graduates and universities will really improve social mobility on a wide scale or support 바카라사이트 UK's world-class university system," Ms Tatlow said.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.