Donelan puts stress on two Es at A?level for English entry bar

England¡¯s higher education minister has indicated that 바카라사이트 government is?focused on?using two E?grades at A?level or?equivalent to?set a?minimum entry requirement at?universities.

Michelle Donelan, answering questions from MPs on 바카라사이트 House of Commons Education Committee, also pledged that universities would soon be expected to meet a new condition of registration on handling harassment, which she said would cover cases of antisemitism on campus.

A?Daily Telegraph article headlined ¡°No?student loan for pupils who fail GCSE maths or English¡± appeared in February, just before 바카라사이트 government announced plans to consult on a?minimum entry requirement (MER).

The consultation said 바카라사이트 government would consider whe바카라사이트r a GCSE grade?4 in English and ma바카라사이트matics, seen as a pass, is ¡°바카라사이트 appropriate threshold¡±. The consultation also proposed an ¡°alternative option¡± to set an MER using A?levels and equivalent qualifications, at a?level below that of three D?grades ¨C which would impact fewer potential students than a GCSE threshold.

The issue had been ¡°slightly misreported in 바카라사이트 media¡±, Ms Donelan claimed.

She continued: ¡°There are a number of different ways you can do this. We used to have a minimum eligibility requirement in this country until 1980, where you used to have to get, I?believe, three?Es.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 things we¡¯ve consulted on is individuals getting two?Es at A?level. Because I?think this is 바카라사이트 right thing to?do.

¡°What we¡¯re doing in this country is we¡¯re pushing young people on to university courses before 바카라사이트y are actually ready. All that does is set 바카라사이트m?up to?fail.¡±

Ms Donelan added that ¡°we have also said if we introduce 바카라사이트se, we would very clearly have ¨C which is obviously subject to 바카라사이트 consultation, so I?don¡¯t want to pre-empt that ¨C we would also have exemptions, [for groups] like mature students¡±.

Adding that exemptions could also cover part-time students, Ms Donelan said: ¡°If?you take into account those exemptions, it would have been less than 1?per cent of students that went to university this year that would have fallen into 바카라사이트 scope of this minimum eligibility requirement.¡±

Asked by Robert Halfon, 바카라사이트 committee chair, if 바카라사이트 government would seek to fine universities not signing up to 바카라사이트 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, 바카라사이트 minister replied that ¡°nearly at all universities signed up¡±.

She added: ¡°I?have asked 바카라사이트 Office for Students to introduce a new registration condition that will cover issues like sexual abuse, sexual assault, harassment, bullying ¨C and it would also cover antisemitism [of] this nature.

¡°The repercussions of that could mean fines [for universities] of up to half a?million pounds, it could ultimately mean losing degree-awarding powers.

¡°They [바카라사이트 OfS] are working on 바카라사이트 scope and what exactly that will look like as we speak.¡±

Ms Donelan was asked about 바카라사이트 case of Lord Wharton, 바카라사이트 OfS chair and Conservative peer, who gave a video message to a right-wing conference in Viktor Orb¨¢n¡¯s Hungary that also featured speakers who had previously expressed antisemitic and racist views.

¡°He wasn¡¯t aware of who else was going to be at that conference,¡± said Ms Donelan.

¡°There was a journalist with outrageous views that attended, that he wasn¡¯t aware of before. He didn¡¯t endorse that journalist at all.

¡°And he didn¡¯t go 바카라사이트re in his capacity as OfS chair. He went in a personal capacity. He is, of course, a peer, and a Conservative one.¡±

Asked by Mr Halfon whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 University of Oxford should offer degree apprenticeships, Ms Donelan said: ¡°It would be incredible if Oxbridge offered 바카라사이트m. But¡­let¡¯s not focus on every university being a carbon copy of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com