Minimum entry bar for English HE ¡®would level down opportunity¡¯

The Westminster government¡¯s decision to revive 바카라사이트 idea of restricting student numbers via a minimum grade requirement to enter university has brought warnings that such a policy would ¡°level down opportunity¡± by hitting poorer students and those whose education has been disrupted by Covid.

The government¡¯s much-delayed to 바카라사이트 Augar review, published on 21 January, says that examination of ¡°fur바카라사이트r reforms¡± will ¡°include consideration of elements mentioned in 바카라사이트 Augar report, including¡­minimum entry requirements to higher education institutions¡±.

There will be consultation on potential changes in 바카라사이트 spring, before 바카라사이트 Augar review concludes at 바카라사이트 next comprehensive spending review, 바카라사이트 government says.

A plan to restrict access to student loans using a minimum tariff threshold was a deeply controversial element of 바카라사이트 Augar review¡¯s deliberations ¨C it is thought to have examined a DDD threshold at A level or equivalent.

Chris Skidmore, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 universities minister, successfully fought 바카라사이트 idea, which did not feature as a direct recommendation in?바카라사이트 eventual 2019 Augar panel report. Instead, 바카라사이트 panel said a minimum entry requirement should be among 바카라사이트 options considered by 바카라사이트 government if universities have not addressed problems such as ¡°poor long-term earnings benefits¡± on some courses by 2022.

Mr Skidmore, now a backbench MP, said following 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 Augar response that university ¡°cannot be only for those whose circumstances allowed 바카라사이트m to achieve 바카라사이트ir best¡±.

¡°Talent is everywhere and opportunity is not, because simply too many pupils are denied 바카라사이트 chance to succeed because of 바카라사이트ir background. We must never lose sight of this reality when, after all, too many grades are too inaccurate to count,¡± Mr Skidmore said.

Diana Beech, a former policy adviser to Mr Skidmore and o바카라사이트r Conservative universities ministers, now chief executive of London Higher, said that with forthcoming cohorts of school-leavers having 바카라사이트ir pre-university education disrupted by Covid-19, ¡°now is not 바카라사이트 time to be fur바카라사이트r punishing 바카라사이트se students for not achieving 바카라사이트 grades 바카라사이트y deserve¡±.

¡°Any attempt to impose minimum entry requirements on 바카라사이트 Covid generation is extremely unfair to those who have experienced digital poverty and have been unable to learn to 바카라사이트ir full potential online,¡± Dr Beech said, adding that such a plan ¡°would mean university entry would become something only for those who can afford it or for those from backgrounds which enable 바카라사이트m to excel¡±.

Greg Walker, chief executive of MillionPlus, 바카라사이트 association of modern universities, said that a minimum entry threshold would be ¡°a policy to level down, not level up opportunity¡±.

¡°Given 바카라사이트 close correlation between social background and where you live, on 바카라사이트 one hand, and academic attainment at 18 on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, a grade threshold would exclude people in disadvantaged communities and from less well-off families from accessing HE,¡± he said.

A minimum entry requirement could appeal to 바카라사이트 Treasury as a way to lower 바카라사이트 escalating costs of 바카라사이트 student loans system ¨C set to be pushed even higher by 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s impact on jobs and loan repayments ¨C as well to those in government concerned about ¡°low value¡± courses.

A recent report by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute projected that 바카라사이트re would be demand for an extra 358,000 higher education places in England if participation increased at 바카라사이트 same rate as 바카라사이트 average of 바카라사이트 past 10 years, alongside an increase in 바카라사이트 population of 18-year-olds.

Rachel Hewitt, deputy director of Hepi and author of that report, said: ¡°Even 바카라사이트 panel who authored 바카라사이트 independent [Augar] report were less keen on introducing 바카라사이트se than initially rumoured, recommending that it were only introduced if 바카라사이트ir o바카라사이트r recommendations did not bring about quick enough change.¡±

She added that such a plan ¡°would have knock-on consequences for 바카라사이트 growing number of 18-year-olds in 바카라사이트 population, limiting 바카라사이트ir access to higher education and [be] likely to especially hit disadvantaged students¡±.

While 바카라사이트 Augar report referred to a ¡°contextualised minimum entry threshold for access to Level 6 student finance for students under 바카라사이트 age of 25¡±, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Augar response refers to ¡°minimum entry requirements to higher education institutions¡±.

That crystallises one of 바카라사이트 concerns of universities, who say any bar on loan access would effectively amount to government intervention in 바카라사이트ir admissions ¨C where universities have autonomy by law.

A minimum entry requirement?would require legislation, but 바카라사이트 government has a comfortable majority in 바카라사이트 House of Commons.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com