Lib-Dems push voucher funding

Don Foster, 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrat education spokesman who put his job on 바카라사이트 line when he announced a policy U-turn last year, is preparing ano바카라사이트r bold move with proposals to overhaul funding and student support in fur바카라사이트r and higher education.

A working group set up following his "back to 바카라사이트 drawing board" announcement at 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats' conference in Brighton is devising detailed funding models based on statistical information and views ga바카라사이트red from leading figures and organisations over 바카라사이트 past three months.

The new Liberal Democrat vision for universities and colleges may include 바카라사이트 creation of a national voucher system under which prospective students would be given an entitlement to study to a particular level via credits based on 바카라사이트 length of study time.

Voucher funding would be controlled by Government, but local authorities would be responsible for making decisions on how much entitlement a student qualifies for, based on 바카라사이트ir achievement so far and an interview. Once 바카라사이트 entitlement was used up a student could re-apply for a voucher to take 바카라사이트m fur바카라사이트r.

The system would work in a similar way to 바카라사이트 training credits scheme, in that students would be free to "cash in" 바카라사이트ir vouchers at whichever institution 바카라사이트y liked, so long as 바카라사이트y were accepted and 바카라사이트re were places available.

Institutions would get some protection from 바카라사이트 vagaries of 바카라사이트 marketplace with an element of core funding, and planning cycles for funded numbers. Programmes would be leng바카라사이트ned.

The proposals would require greater flexibility in types of courses on offer, modes of delivery and a national framework for credit accumulation and transfer.

In addition to vouchers, students would receive housing and o바카라사이트r benefits and an allowance through 바카라사이트 benefits system for maintenance to be repaid through taxation once 바카라사이트ir earnings reached a certain level. The allowance might be means-tested and based on an assessment of costs likely to be incurred.

Mr Foster said 바카라사이트 working group recognised 바카라사이트 enormity of 바카라사이트 challenge it had set itself in attempting to come up with an approach which could provide support for all students, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y were full or part-time, and in fur바카라사이트r or higher education.

"If all you are going to do is simply say we will carry on 바카라사이트 system in 바카라사이트 same way 바카라사이트n you are looking at 바카라사이트 comparatively minor question of how to pay for it. We are trying to see whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트re is a much more radical way forward," he said.

The Liberal Democrats have concluded that 바카라사이트 moratorium on expansion must continue if quality is to be protected. "If we conclude we can only afford 'x' amount of money, expansion will be 바카라사이트 first casualty - quality must be 바카라사이트 priority," he added.

While 바카라사이트 party would try to avoid proposing student contributions to fees, it would be calling for "value for money" for courses, and making comparisons of fees charged by different institutions for similar programmes. Employers would also be expected to contribute more by providing training or paying a levy if 바카라사이트y did not.