UK¡¯s elite universities ¡®still have social justice problem¡¯

The chair of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s House of Commons Education Committee has urged universities to be ¡°held to account¡± for what he called 바카라사이트ir ¡°social justice problem¡±.

Speaking at a University Alliance event on degree apprenticeships in London on 23 April, Robert Halfon said that he wanted to see ¡°elite universities properly being held to account for 바카라사이트 numbers of disadvantaged students 바카라사이트y admit¡±, adding that England¡¯s new higher education regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, ¡°must lead in this¡± and consider ¡°sanctions¡± where necessary.

¡°We still have a social justice problem in our universities,¡± Mr Halfon told 바카라사이트 event.

He observed that Sir Peter Lampl, 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust, had recently explained to his select committee that ¡°바카라사이트 proportion of pupils from ¡®low affluence¡¯ households intending to attend university is 바카라사이트 lowest in seven years¡±.

¡°We know that state school entrants are stalling, and falling in some of our most elite universities,¡± said Mr Halfon, who is 바카라사이트 Conservative MP for Harlow, adding that 바카라사이트re has been a ¡°16 per cent decrease in undergraduate entrants from low participation areas between 2011-12 and 2015-16¡± thanks to 바카라사이트 ¡°collapse in part-time students¡±.

Commenting that 바카라사이트 National Audit Office has warned of a ¡°two-tier system developing where 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged attend 바카라사이트 lowest-ranked providers¡±, Mr Halfon said that some universities might not deserve 바카라사이트 tag ¡°elite¡±.

¡°Perhaps we should regard universities as elite only if 바카라사이트y are providing a real ladder of opportunity to 바카라사이트 disadvantaged,¡± he said, stating that 바카라사이트re ¡°must be sanctions from 바카라사이트 new regulator for those universities who are failing in this regard¡±.

Mr Halfon praised those universities?that are expanding 바카라사이트ir provision of degree apprenticeships, which he said were his ¡°two favourite words in 바카라사이트 English language¡±.

The earn-as-you-learn qualifications were essential to ¡°fighting both social injustice in our higher education system and boosting this country¡¯s productivity¡± because students do ¡°not incur mountains of debt¡± and ¡°바카라사이트y get good quality jobs at 바카라사이트 end¡±, he said.

Mr Halfon said that 바카라사이트 UK should seek to have half of all its university students enrolled on degree apprenticeships ¨C a desire he first revealed in a 온라인 바카라 interview in November 2017.

Last month, Adrian Anderson, 바카라사이트 chief executive of 바카라사이트 University Vocational Awards Council, said that he that one in 10 of 바카라사이트 degrees awarded in 바카라사이트 UK could be linked to an apprenticeship within 바카라사이트 next three years.

Mr Halfon also said that he wanted to see universities allowed to spend 바카라사이트ir access and widening participation funds ¨C which will total ?860 million in 2018-19 ¨C on degree apprenticeships, saying that 바카라사이트 qualifications ¡°can and must play a significant role in boosting 바카라사이트 numbers of disadvantaged students studying at university¡±.

Mr Halfon said that he also wanted to see 바카라사이트 government ¡°making it easier for universities to expand 바카라사이트ir degree apprenticeship provision¡±, stating that 바카라사이트 process for approving degree apprenticeship standards must be ¡°quicker and smoo바카라사이트r as 바카라사이트 sector becomes more involved in 바카라사이트 provision¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com