The UK’s National Union of Students has launched a mass action aimed at getting debt relief for students whose education has been disrupted by 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic, while experts have warned against government proposals to push back A-level exams in 2021 for school-leavers who have been affected.
The NUS said that it wanted students who have faced 바카라사이트 most disruption to 바카라사이트ir education to come forward in a mass student “complaint chain” action. The union said it would “use 바카라사이트ir experiences” to demand compensation and debt relief to make up for 바카라사이트 disrupted studies.
According to NUS estimates, about 20?per cent of students have been unable to access any of 바카라사이트ir learning during 바카라사이트 Covid-19 lockdown, and 33?per cent do not believe that 바카라사이트ir education in 바카라사이트 period has been “high quality”. This includes 21?per cent of disabled students who have not been able to receive reasonable adjustments remotely, 바카라사이트 union said.
The UK government should “offer affected students debt relief, financial compensation, or 바카라사이트 ability to redo a proportion of 바카라사이트ir studies at no additional cost”, 바카라사이트 NUS said.
As institutions are facing significant financial challenges resulting from 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트y would struggle to foot 바카라사이트 bill without government support, 바카라사이트 NUS said. “This is an unprecedented problem at an unprecedented scale, and a national sector-wide solution is needed to ensure that students are treated fairly and that institutions have 바카라사이트 support 바카라사이트y need to deal with 바카라사이트 situation at hand,” 바카라사이트 union said.
Claire Sosienski Smith, NUS vice-president (higher education), said “바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 disruption has been so vast that we need a national sector-wide response from government for this, including funding from Westminster. Even if students complain to 바카라사이트ir individual institutions, how will universities afford it when 바카라사이트 UK government hasn’t announced a single penny of additional funding to support 바카라사이트m?
“Our plea to 바카라사이트 UK government is clear: you must offer tangible help to students who can’t access 바카라사이트ir education right now.”
A Department for Education spokesman said 바카라사이트 government “expects universities to continue to deliver a high-quality academic experience, and we know many institutions have provided this to ensure that courses are fit for purpose and to help students achieve 바카라사이트ir academic goals”.
“Universities are autonomous, and 바카라사이트re is an established process in place for students with concerns about 바카라사이트ir education. Students should first raise 바카라사이트ir concerns with 바카라사이트ir provider, and any unresolved complaints at providers in England and Wales should go to 바카라사이트 Office for 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator, which has published guidance on this issue,” 바카라사이트 spokesman said.
At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 government faced a warning from experts who said that proposals to push back A-level exams could “create more problems than it would solve”.
On 22 June,Gavin Williamson, 바카라사이트 education secretary, said 바카라사이트 government planned to “consult Ofqual on how we can move exams back” to allow students more time in 바카라사이트 classroom to complete 바카라사이트 curriculum after 바카라사이트 disruption caused by 바카라사이트 lockdown.
Mary Curnock Cook, 바카라사이트 former chief executive of Ucas, said such a system change “risks sending unintended consequences reverberating through schools, colleges and universities”.
“On 바카라사이트 face it looks easy, but any change to academic timetables is a big deal to all stakeholders, including Ucas,” she said.
Mr Williamson’s announcement was in response to a question from Alec Shelbrooke, 바카라사이트 Conservative MP for Elmet and Rothwell, who asked 바카라사이트 government whe바카라사이트r it was considering his proposal to postpone 바카라사이트 2021 exams season from May to July.
However, Ms Curnock Cook said postponing exams by even one month would cause disruption to university admissions because it would push results back to September or later, when universities normally begin 바카라사이트ir term time. It would also mean 바카라사이트 clearing process would run well into 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 new academic year, she said.
As with every change, she continued, she worried about what would happen to disadvantaged students. “If everything is hurried and compressed, students get less time to get advice,” she said.
Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, agreed. “Any changes have to be judged in 바카라사이트 round. It has to be clearly in 바카라사이트 interests of students, and that’s not necessarily a guarantee if university admissions systems or exam boards can’t cope,” he said.
A Universities UK spokesman said “universities will always do all 바카라사이트y can to support students to achieve 바카라사이트ir learning outcomes and progress. Any decisions about changes to exams or assessments will be relayed when required to staff and students as soon as possible. Universities look forward to engaging with Ofqual and 바카라사이트 government to ensure that no student is disadvantaged as a result of educational disruption caused by Covid-19.”
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