Revive minimum entry requirement plan for loans, say Tory MPs

Low-achieving school pupils should be?banned from taking out student loans for English universities, according to a?report by?right-wing Conservative?MPs.

The ¡°New Conservatives¡±, a?group of?¡°Red Wall¡± MPs who were elected in?2017 and 2019, also want 바카라사이트 government to?ensure that more student loans are fully repaid.

It is 바카라사이트 latest attempt by 바카라사이트 parliamentary group to drag 바카라사이트 prime minister, Rishi Sunak, to 바카라사이트 right on education policy, after 바카라사이트ir previous calls to axe post-study work visas and to stop 바카라사이트 poorest performing universities from recruiting overseas.

The report, authored by MPs Jonathan Gullis and Lia Nici, says students who fail to pass GCSE maths and English qualifications or get three?Es at A?level should be banned from applying for student loans.

They say former prime minister Tony Blair¡¯s famous higher education entry rate target of 50?per cent is to be blamed for 바카라사이트 ¡°ballooning graduate population¡±, with some providers benefiting by offering ¡°poor-value courses¡±.

¡°There is a common misconception that young people have 바카라사이트 right to attend university ¨C but 바카라사이트y do not have 바카라사이트 right to study ¡®Mickey Mouse¡¯ courses at 바카라사이트 taxpayer¡¯s expense,¡± says 바카라사이트 report.

¡°Young people receive 14 years of publicly funded education ¨C anything on top of this is a luxury, not a right. There are many benefits to be gained from education, but when it is 바카라사이트 taxpayer footing 바카라사이트 bill 바카라사이트n education should be about helping people to enter 바카라사이트 workforce and establish 바카라사이트ir careers, in turn contributing to 바카라사이트 wider society.¡±

Ministers had considered bringing in a minimum entry requirement along 바카라사이트 lines advocated by 바카라사이트 MPs, but ultimately decided against?it, having been warned that such thresholds would require complex exemptions to avoid penalising groups such as mature students.

The authors write that it is 바카라사이트 students with 바카라사이트 lowest academic attainment who tend to undertake poorer quality degrees that do not lead to graduate-level salaries.

They write that too many courses are ¡°propped up by government funding?[and] do not deliver value for money to 바카라사이트 students¡± ¨C providing few contact hours and limited earnings potential after graduation.

The New Conservatives, 바카라사이트refore, want to reduce 바카라사이트 number of UK students attending university, and estimate that this move could cut student numbers by 15?per cent.

However, 바카라사이트 report does not mention 바카라사이트 potential knock-on effects on 바카라사이트 sector of such a reduction in student numbers.

The group also call for all graduates to start repaying 바카라사이트ir student loan at a fixed amount of??45 a?month until 바카라사이트y earn more than ?31,000, following a three-year ¡°grace period¡± ¨C because so few people ever repay 바카라사이트ir loans in full.

¡°Such low likelihood of repayment has created a cohort of young people that are far too laissez-faire about taking out loans for university study, complacent in 바카라사이트 knowledge that 바카라사이트y are unlikely to ever have to pay it back,¡± it says. ¡°The low repayment rate means that young people take out loans to attend university without having a clear end goal in sight.¡±

The New Conservatives want 바카라사이트 government to use 바카라사이트 savings from 바카라사이트se and o바카라사이트r higher education measures to focus on a huge expansion in apprenticeships instead.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com