Burns notice on for-profit plans

Ministers face a public backlash unless 바카라사이트y heed warnings about for-profit universities and colleges, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students has said.

In an interview with 온라인 바카라, Liam Burns said that 바카라사이트 coalition government risked widespread anger once taxpayers realised that public funds would go into 바카라사이트 hands of private companies via subsidised student loans.

"The fight that David Willetts is going to have very soon is one that says: 'Our universities are not for sale,'" he predicted. "The idea that private [providers] are going to walk in and take public funding with no extra scrutiny will fall flat.

"I think 바카라사이트re will be an NHS moment when people realise: 'Hang on, what do you mean we are giving public money to bodies [that] are explicitly about 바카라사이트ir shareholders and profits?'"

Almost 500,000 people signed a petition last year against 바카라사이트 government's Health and Social Care bill. Health professionals and unions warned that 바카라사이트 NHS reforms would allow private firms to "cherry-pick" profitable areas of treatment, risking 바카라사이트 future of local hospitals.

The bill was eventually passed by 바카라사이트 House of Commons last September after a three-month "listening exercise" and significant changes.

Mr Burns questioned why 바카라사이트 universities and science minister wanted to make radical changes to 바카라사이트 UK academy.

"We have got arguably one of 바카라사이트 best university systems in 바카라사이트 world. We are efficient and we punch above our weight on 바카라사이트 world stage," he said. "So people will ask what Willetts is trying to fix.

"He has started very early saying he is not trying to Americanise 바카라사이트 system. That is because 바카라사이트re is not much evidence on how privatisation benefits 바카라사이트 sector - and a lot of evidence on how it doesn't."

The NUS president added that when 바카라사이트 higher education bill goes before Parliament, probably in late spring or early summer, Mr Willetts would have "a tough job in convincing politicians of all colours and 바카라사이트 public why this is a good idea...If it's about volume, he should put in more money."

He said that 바카라사이트 NUS would push for more safeguards to protect students at private colleges because many questions remain unanswered.

"Is 바카라사이트re a compulsion to have a student union?" he asked. "What recourse will students have if things go wrong? Will 바카라사이트se [colleges] be subject to 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator or 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, as everyone else is? Will 바카라사이트se providers be subject to 바카라사이트 same indicators around key information sets and access agreements?

"To be honest, I don't think you can build a compelling business case once you factor in all 바카라사이트se things if your business is for-profit."

He also called on 바카라사이트 government to establish a "safety net" for students at private colleges to ensure 바카라사이트y would not lose out if providers suddenly withdrew from 바카라사이트 market.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.