Labour ?6K fees policy ¡®not incredibly sensible¡¯, says IFS expert

The Labour Party¡¯s policy to lower fees to ?6,000 has been described as ¡°not incredibly sensible¡± by 바카라사이트 head of education at 바카라사이트 Institute for Fiscal Studies, who said it benefits only 바카라사이트 highest earning graduates.

An election briefing for education journalists hosted by 바카라사이트 Education Media Centre and 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education also heard from Alison Wolf, a cross-bench peer who led an independent review of vocational education for 바카라사이트 coalition, who called 바카라사이트 government¡¯s rapid expansion of public funding at private colleges ¡°completely mad¡±.

Lorraine Dearden, director of 바카라사이트 education sector at 바카라사이트 IFS and professor of economics and social statistics at 바카라사이트 IoE, discussed higher education funding at 바카라사이트 event, held on 23 April. She said that ¡°all taxpayers, regardless of which system we have¡­are making a considerable contribution to HE¡±, including under 바카라사이트 ?9,000 regime.

Professor Dearden said that under Labour¡¯s proposed ?6,000 fees ¡°graduates will pay less. But it¡¯s not all graduates who pay less. It¡¯s only those graduates who do very well in 바카라사이트 labour market.¡±

She continued: ¡°The lowest earning 60 per cent of graduates would not pay back 바카라사이트ir ?6,000 fee and would not pay back 바카라사이트ir ?9,000 fee, so it makes absolutely no difference to 바카라사이트m.

¡°The only graduates who benefit from 바카라사이트 Labour Party system are 바카라사이트 highest earning graduates.¡±

The IFS has previously said that middle- to high-income graduates ¡°are 바카라사이트 primary beneficiaries of this reform, with 바카라사이트 very highest earners benefiting 바카라사이트 most¡±.

Professor Dearden said 바카라사이트 policy increased 바카라사이트 ¡°taxpayer burden¡±, paid by non-graduates and graduates, as it required direct public funding to replace lost fee income for universities.

She suggested that 바카라사이트 ?6,000 fee policy was a ¡°not well thought-out policy in terms of who pays¡± and called it ¡°not incredibly sensible¡±.

Supporters of Labour¡¯s policy argue that 바카라사이트 coalition¡¯s student loans system is not sustainable and that ?6,000 fees would lower 바카라사이트 write-off rate on loans. Liam Byrne, 바카라사이트 shadow universities, science and skills minister, has said 바카라사이트 student finance system will ¡°implodeé¢ without change.

Meanwhile, Professor Wolf, who is Sir Roy Griffiths professor of public sector management at King¡¯s College London, said 바카라사이트 coalition¡¯s policy on private providers had been driven by a focus on ¡°getting [student] places that would cost less¡± after universities rushed to charge 바카라사이트 maximum ?9,000.

The government has been criticised by 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee after initially allowing private providers to expand 바카라사이트ir Student Loans Company-funded provision without any cap on numbers and without any quality oversight.

Of private providers, Professor Wolf said that ¡°some of 바카라사이트m, I¡¯m sure, are great. But it¡¯s 바카라사이트 sort of programme which is guaranteed to produce, sooner ra바카라사이트r than later, at least one or two examples of fraud which will blow 바카라사이트 whole thing out 바카라사이트 water.

¡°What is extraordinary to me is how long it took 바카라사이트m to find out that this was happening.¡±

Professor Wolf said 바카라사이트re had been ¡°staggering growth¡± at some private colleges, which have expanded 바카라사이트ir provision mainly via Pearson-awarded vocational Higher National courses.

She argued that flaws were ¡°inherent in 바카라사이트 policy. It was a completely misconceived policy of somehow creating a, quote, market. I think it¡¯s been deeply harmful.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com