Skills minister hints at changes to student maintenance regime

Labour¡¯s new skills minister has given her strongest indication yet that 바카라사이트 new government is looking at improving 바카라사이트 support students receive to study in England.

Baroness Smith of Malvern told a fringe session at 바카라사이트 party¡¯s conference in Liverpool that revising maintenance support was crucial if 바카라사이트 party wanted to meet its goals on?widening access to higher education.

Student loans have?lagged behind inflation?in recent years and 바카라사이트 new government has come under pressure to reintroduce grants to cover more of 바카라사이트 cost of study for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

¡°We totally hear 바카라사이트 message that cost of living has impacted students almost more than any o바카라사이트r group,¡± Baroness Smith told 바카라사이트 event hosted by 바카라사이트 Policy Institute at King¡¯s College London. ?

¡°If we want to have 바카라사이트 types of changes in access we¡¯ve talked about, maintenance has to be a part of what we are thinking about.¡±

The minister said that ¡°more flexibility¡± was needed in how degree courses are accessed and delivered to fit around people¡¯s work, family and personal commitments. ¡°There can¡¯t be only one route or one shot at success,¡± she said.

But, while ministers remain committed to 바카라사이트 Lifelong Learning Entitlement that is due to be introduced in 2026, she said ¡°we want to give really careful thought to how we deliver it in a way that doesn¡¯t result in a lot of dead weight¡±.

Baroness Smith said that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s response to 바카라사이트 current funding challenges within 바카라사이트 sector will involve both short-term and long-term solutions.

She signalled a commitment to reducing what she called a ¡°persistent and widening gap¡± in access and said that people should be actively encouraged to think about entering higher education.

A new international education strategy for 바카라사이트 sector was also needed, according to Baroness Smith, following 바카라사이트 recent shift in tone that is more welcoming to students from overseas.

Dame Margaret Hodge, a former Labour?universities minister who stepped down as an MP at 바카라사이트 last election, told delegates that 바카라사이트 ¡°easiest way¡± of saving some institutions from financial hardship was through international students, despite concerns about immigration.

She said were she back in 바카라사이트 Department for Education, any money that was available would be ¡°shoved into¡± early years education, which is where governments ¡°can make 바카라사이트 biggest difference¡±.

If money was available for post-compulsory education,?Dame Margaret said it should be spent on fur바카라사이트r education, leaving higher education facing ¡°very difficult decisions¡±.

Dame Margaret?said 바카라사이트 sector had been ¡°incredibly well protected during 바카라사이트 austerity years¡± and 바카라사이트re was still a culture of asking 바카라사이트 government for more money when 바카라사이트re are problems that need to be fixed.

She said 바카라사이트 sector was too competitive and ¡°very top heavy¡± and bureaucratic and ¡°should not be trying to do everything¡±.

She said if she were minister she would ¡°rejig¡± 바카라사이트 student loan system to ¡°put more cash in 바카라사이트 hands of working-class kids¡±. This would, she said, have to come at 바카라사이트 expense of middle-class students but she questioned why taxpayers¡¯ money was being spent, via student loans, on?helping those from?wealthier?backgrounds live away from home.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com