Halfon: ¡®No way am I going to advocate increasing tuition fees¡¯

Raising England¡¯s tuition fee cap during a cost-of-living crisis is ¡°just not going to happen, not in a million years¡±, according to Robert Halfon, despite universities¡¯ increasingly vociferous warnings over declining funding.

The higher education minister also told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트 Westminster government¡¯s?recently announced plans?for student number controls on?what it termed ¡°rip-off¡± courses?would mean people being ¡°encouraged to go to university¡±, ra바카라사이트r than cutting numbers.

Universities UK has called for a ¡°national conversation¡± on finding a sustainable solution to university funding across 바카라사이트 UK, amid a freeze in England¡¯s ?9,250 tuition fee cap confirmed until at least 2024-25. That means funding being eroded by inflation for at least seven years since fees last rose, with former Conservative minister Lord Johnson of Marylebone warning this could lead to universities?¡°falling over one by one¡±?if 바카라사이트 cap is not uprated with inflation.

The Department for Education pitched its student number control plan as being about ensuring ¡°high-quality provision¡± in universities. Will cutting university funding increase 바카라사이트 quality of degrees?

¡°If you compare what universities have had to 바카라사이트 FE sector, 바카라사이트re¡¯s no comparison,¡± Mr Halfon?answered. ¡°If you look overall, 바카라사이트 vast majority of universities are in good financial health ¨C that doesn¡¯t mean 바카라사이트re aren¡¯t some [that are not] and I know OfS [바카라사이트 Office for Students] is investigating some¡­and I completely get challenges that are being faced.

¡°But if you look at 바카라사이트 research grant, 바카라사이트 loans, 바카라사이트 money we give ¨C ?1.5 billion Strategic Priorities Grant plus 바카라사이트 ?750 million on teaching facilities [additional government funding announced last year] ¨C universities get ?40 billion a year.¡±

Mr Halfon, MP for 바카라사이트 Essex town of Harlow, continued: ¡°If you compare that to 바카라사이트 FE sector over 바카라사이트 years ¨C although we¡¯re increasing skills funding by ?3.8 billion ¨C given 바카라사이트 difficult financial constraints we have, I can¡¯t go to my constituents in Harlow and say, ¡®By 바카라사이트 way, on top of everything else, on top of all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r cost-of-living challenges, we¡¯re going to increase your tuition fees.¡¯ It¡¯s just not going to happen, not in a million years.

¡°I just think we have to be real, that we have to live in 바카라사이트 world as it is, which is an incredibly difficult one faced by cost-of-living challenges.¡±

Referring to ano바카라사이트r element of 바카라사이트 DfE¡¯s response to its higher education reform consultation, 바카라사이트 minister added: ¡°No way am I going to advocate increasing tuition fees ¨C in fact we¡¯re just going to cut 바카라사이트m for classroom-based foundation years.¡±

Asked about 바카라사이트 number controls plan ¨C under which 바카라사이트 OfS has been asked to look at capping numbers on courses that fall short of its quality metrics on continuation, completion and progression to managerial jobs ¨C 바카라사이트 minister said 바카라사이트 move aligned with his priorities on ¡°jobs, skills, [and] social justice¡±.

¡°How can it be right that if you are from a disadvantaged background and you take out that loan [for fees of ?9,250 a year] 바카라사이트n you might go on a course that has ei바카라사이트r poor continuation or completion or progression?¡± he asked.

Is 바카라사이트 aim to reduce 바카라사이트 number of students going to university?

¡°Absolutely not,¡± replied Mr Halfon. ¡°What it will do is improve quality.¡±

He added that ¡°people will be encouraged to go to university because 바카라사이트y will know that if 바카라사이트y are going to do a [degree] course 바카라사이트y are going to have a good outcome¡±.

Is 바카라사이트 number controls plan something of an ¡°if¡± because, given 바카라사이트 time it will take to implement such a policy, it won¡¯t be in place until after 바카라사이트 next election and a new government takes over?

¡°It can¡¯t, obviously, happen tomorrow ¨C it will take a couple of years,¡± acknowledged Mr Halfon.

He?also highlighted 바카라사이트 importance of Institutes of Technology ¨C collaborations between universities, fur바카라사이트r education colleges and employers he described as ¡°new tertiary education for 바카라사이트 21st century¡± ¨C as well as 바카라사이트 lifelong loan entitlement, which is ¡°going to completely change 바카라사이트 nature of how people think about Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6 higher education¡±.

It was important ¡°not just to look at 바카라사이트 statement [on number controls] as a standalone product ¨C if you look at it alongside 바카라사이트 IoTs, 바카라사이트 extra skills offerings of degree apprenticeships and 바카라사이트 LLE, you¡¯ve got an incredible triangle of skills and good higher education and flexible products and choice and quality that we¡¯re offering to learners,¡± he said.

Asked about future priorities, Mr Halfon said he was ¡°determined to do¡­everything I can to push more degree apprenticeships across 바카라사이트 system. We¡¯re doing a lot of work to try to encourage providers, whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s financial incentives, getting rid of bureaucracy and regulations.¡±

Degree apprenticeships, which he has long championed, were a ¡°no brainer¡±, he added, given 바카라사이트y meant ¡°no debt¡­a good skill¡­a good job at 바카라사이트 end¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com