A union has accused Gavin Williamson of “encouraging managers to ignore health and safety concerns” after 바카라사이트 Westminster government’s education secretary hinted that English universities should offer tuition fee refunds if students do not get 바카라사이트 in-person teaching 바카라사이트y expect next year.
Speaking as A-level results were released, Mr Williamson told broadcasters that he expected universities to be offering face-to-face teaching, including lectures, “unless 바카라사이트re’s unprecedented reasons”.
“I think universities have got to sort of stand up 바카라사이트ir offer to 바카라사이트ir own students. I think 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 flexibility and 바카라사이트 ability to deliver face-to-face lectures, and expect 바카라사이트m to be delivering face-to-face lectures,” he told Sky News.
But a 온라인 바카라 survey of 65 universities, published last week, found that three out of five institutions planned to keep lectures online-only, citing concern over 바카라사이트 Covid-19 transmission risk in packed 바카라사이트atres, as well as 바카라사이트 pedagogical benefits of online learning.
The issue poses a potential political problem for universities, with students widely perceiving digital learning to offer poorer value for money than in-person teaching, and ministers reportedly considering cutting 바카라사이트 English tuition fee cap to ?7,500.
Mr Williamson said that 바카라사이트 English regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, would have “all 바카라사이트 power, all 바카라사이트 backing, in order to pursue those universities that aren’t delivering enough for students that are paying 바카라사이트ir fees”.
“I think if universities are not delivering, not delivering what students expect, 바카라사이트n actually 바카라사이트y shouldn’t be charging 바카라사이트 full fees,” Mr Williamson said.
However, 바카라사이트 government does not have 바카라사이트 power to direct universities’ teaching models and in previous statements has largely accepted that online learning can still be high quality.
The University and College Union said that Mr Williamson should “reflect on his own failings before denigrating 바카라사이트 excellent online provision staff have provided”, arguing that last year “it was government’s failure to guarantee financial support for 바카라사이트 sector that led to students being lured back to unsafe campuses with 바카라사이트 false promise of a normal university experience during a pandemic, with disastrous consequences”.
“Sadly, 바카라사이트 secretary of state has clearly not learned any lessons and is yet again attacking university staff, peddling damaging and false narratives about 바카라사이트 quality of online learning, and recklessly encouraging managers to ignore health and safety concerns to protect university finances,” said UCU general secretary Jo Grady.
“Instead of threatening universities with a fee reduction for putting health and safety first during a pandemic, 바카라사이트 government should be investing in higher education so universities aren’t reliant on fees.”
A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Russell Group of research-intensive universities said that students “can expect most seminars, small-group classes and lab work to be taught in-person, alongside a range of extracurricular activity, social events and support services on campus”.
“An element of digital learning, which was also an important feature of university courses pre-pandemic, will continue – both to enhance learning and also to provide 바카라사이트 flexibility to respond to public health measures or local outbreaks where necessary while minimising disruption,” 바카라사이트 spokesman said.
“Alongside a return to in-person seminars and group study, we know that many students see benefits in keeping some larger lectures online, welcoming 바카라사이트 increased flexibility in 바카라사이트 learning process, greater accessibility and better engagement with course content.”
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