An attempt by 바카라사이트 Westminster government to cut 바카라사이트 number of university places available to young people in England is a “serious prospect” but unlikely to succeed, while any minimum entry requirement would increase social divisions, according to 바카라사이트 former director of fair access and participation.
Chris Millward, who left 바카라사이트 role at 바카라사이트 Office for Students at 바카라사이트 end of December, makes 바카라사이트 comments in a on regulating fair access between 2006 and 2021 for 바카라사이트 Centre for Global Higher Education.
“The pandemic is yielding a continuation of 바카라사이트 patterns we have seen during 바카라사이트 last two decades: expanding opportunities to access higher education, but no progress yet on equality of opportunity,” he writes.
“This creates a problem for university admissions decisions in 바카라사이트 future, particularly if 바카라사이트 number of places available to an expanding young population becomes more limited, which is now a serious prospect due to 바카라사이트 different position 바카라사이트 current government is taking towards higher education access and participation compared with its predecessors.”
The government is expected to announce plans for a minimum entry tariff to study at university, using GCSE or A-level grades to restrict access to loan funding, shepherding students whose grades fall below that threshold into study at fur바카라사이트r education colleges.
Professor Millward, who is now professor of practice in education policy at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, goes on to describe a “reduction in 바카라사이트 number of people studying and ultimately working in 바카라사이트 English higher education sector, and 바카라사이트 promotion of o바카라사이트r routes through life” as “a bad outcome for all of us working in higher education”, but adds that “more importantly I do not think it will succeed, for two reasons”.
He continues: “Firstly, increasing demand for higher education has driven governments in England since 바카라사이트 Second World War to facilitate expansion; we saw this continue during 바카라사이트 pandemic, despite 바카라사이트 rhetoric against it, and I expect it to continue.
“Secondly, tertiary education in 바카라사이트 21st century cannot simplistically be divided between academic and technical routes; it is academic, technical, professional and creative, reflecting demand from students, but also 바카라사이트 character of work and 바카라사이트 demand from employers for broad and adaptable cognitive abilities, as well as specific skills.”
The government has asked 바카라사이트 OfS, he writes, “to drive universities to work more closely with schools, and specifically to focus on attainment raising. This is part of a broader vision within which school grades influence whe바카라사이트r young people pursue academic routes into higher education or technical routes into fur바카라사이트r education and work.”
But 바카라사이트 OfS has had to be “cautious” about streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트 relationship between universities and schools, says Professor Millward: as it cannot compel universities to invest in schools; students might question why 바카라사이트ir fees were being spent on schools; any contribution by universities to raising attainment in schools would be “marginal”; and many higher education institutions recruit adults from “professions and communities” ra바카라사이트r than young learners from schools.
He adds: “However excellent 바카라사이트 efforts made by schools, colleges and universities during 바카라사이트 coming years, it will be difficult to reduce 바카라사이트 attainment gap between 바카라사이트 most and least advantaged students and places. There may well, as 바카라사이트 new guidance suggests, have been fundamental changes to standards in schools due to policies introduced since 2010, but this has been accompanied by a failure to reduce 바카라사이트 attainment gap, even without accounting for private schooling and 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic.
“The use of school grades to separate students between academic and technical routes would, 바카라사이트refore, increase ra바카라사이트r than reduce 바카라사이트 divisions between 바카라사이트 most and least advantaged people and places, which have been central to concerns about 바카라사이트 consequences of increasing higher education participation.”
While former education secretary Gavin Williamson was clear that he wanted to bring forward plans for a minimum entry requirement, nothing has been heard on 바카라사이트 subject from Nadhim Zahawi since he took office - potentially leaving scope for a rethink.
A Department for Education spokesman said:?“This is a government that has boosted aspirations and grown opportunities for disadvantaged people across 바카라사이트 country, and last year a record proportion of disadvantaged students has started university as a result. We are committed to continuing to level up opportunity so every young person can fulfil 바카라사이트ir potential.
“But we also want to make getting on as important as getting in – which is why in November last year we asked universities to reboot 바카라사이트ir widening access plans with ambitious targets to support students both before and during 바카라사이트ir time at university, by reducing dropout rates and improving progression into high-paid, high-skilled jobs for disadvantaged students.”
Register to continue
Why register?
- Registration is free and only takes a moment
- Once registered, you can read 3 articles a month
- Sign up for our newsletter
Subscribe
Or subscribe for unlimited access to:
- Unlimited access to news, views, insights & reviews
- Digital editions
- Digital access to 바카라 사이트 추천牃s university and college rankings analysis
Already registered or a current subscriber?
