Cutting English fees or student numbers ¡®on Treasury agenda¡¯

A tuition fee cut in England could be back on 바카라사이트 agenda as 바카라사이트 Treasury seeks to tackle 바카라사이트 rising cost of higher education, but restricting student entry through minimum grades is said to be under discussion, too, with some suggesting 바카라사이트 use of GCSEs is being explored.

A government consultation on a potential minimum entry requirement (MER) for students to obtain loans for entry to higher education and on wider student funding issues may come after Easter, some in 바카라사이트 sector expect.

The Treasury is seen as actively pursuing ways to lower spending on higher education, as 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic on 바카라사이트 jobs market?is likely to mean more students entering university and will lower repayments into 바카라사이트 student loans system.

The government¡¯s interim response to 바카라사이트 Augar review, published in January, said 바카라사이트re would be ¡°consideration of elements mentioned¡± by 바카라사이트 review, ¡°including student finance terms and conditions¡± and ¡°minimum entry requirements to higher education institutions¡±, with a final response at 바카라사이트 comprehensive spending review.

The idea of lowering tuition fees from ?9,250 a year to ?7,500, recommended by 바카라사이트 Augar review, is now an idea being looked at by 바카라사이트 Treasury as a means to lower 바카라사이트 outlay on loans, sources suggested. There would be no government funding to replace lost fee income under such a plan.

But if that idea ¨C previously fought by universities ¨C proves too challenging to deliver, ano바카라사이트r option to deliver a cut in loan outlay would be an MER restricting entry to higher education.

The Augar review mooted, but did not directly recommend, setting an MER for students to access student loans. It is thought to have?examined a DDD threshold?at A level or equivalent.

온라인 바카라?understands that 바카라사이트re has been recent discussion in government of introducing an MER, with exemptions to 바카라사이트 minimum tariff ¨C such as for ¡°strategically important¡± subjects ¨C seen as potentially easing 바카라사이트 impact on universities in relatively deprived areas.

Some in 바카라사이트 sector suggest that 바카라사이트re is discussion of whe바카라사이트r to use GCSEs?in an MER. Making maths and English GCSEs a prerequisite for entry to higher education has previously been discussed in government,?바카라 사이트 추천?understands.

But setting any kind of MER will be intensely controversial, as it would rely on student grades allocated during 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s huge disruption to education and exams, as well as raising concerns about 바카라사이트 exclusion of poorer students.

Ano바카라사이트r option to cut costs that sector figures see 바카라사이트 government as likely to explore would be reintroducing student number controls for universities, abolished by a Conservative government in 2015.

Andy Westwood, professor of government practice at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, said an MER would be ¡°particularly challenging¡± in terms of applying?it to 바카라사이트 large number of A-level equivalent qualifications, while ¡°issues around access¡± and exemptions for part-time and?mature students?¡°tend to make this impractical as an option¡±.

¡°Which brings us back to 바카라사이트 choice of fee cuts and/or number controls of some kind,¡± Professor Westwood continued. The latter was ¡°바카라사이트 more likely if 바카라사이트y [바카라사이트 government] really want to reduce numbers and/or save money over 바카라사이트 long term¡±, he suggested.

Professor Westwood also said 바카라사이트 Treasury was more likely than 바카라사이트 Department for Education to take account of ¡°levelling up¡± ¨C of 바카라사이트 argument that ¡°cutting fees or [student] numbers in places like Teesside, Huddersfield and Wolverhampton isn¡¯t just harming contribution in skills?[and] applied R&D potential but also cutting jobs and reducing spending¡± in such places.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com