Universities minister: removing Rhodes statue would be ¡®short-sighted¡¯

Michelle Donelan, 바카라사이트 universities minister, believes that recent moves?by universities to rename buildings, and campaigns to remove 바카라사이트 statues of those with links to slavery or racism, are ¡°short-sighted¡±.

During a webinar?hosted by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, Ms Donelan said that while ¡°racism is abhorrent and shouldn¡¯t be tolerated¡±, she agreed with Boris Johnson that ¡°we should not seek to censor or edit our past¡±.

She said that recent actions, such as 바카라사이트 reignited movement to remove 바카라사이트 statue of imperialist Cecil Rhodes from Oriel College, Oxford and 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool¡¯s decision to rename a building named after former prime minister William Gladstone due to his links to 바카라사이트 slave trade, are ¡°quite short-sighted". She added: ¡°We cannot rewrite our history; instead what we should do is remember and learn from it.¡±

However, campaigners and supporters of Rhodes Must Fall, who ga바카라사이트red outside Oriel College again on 16 June in protest, have said 바카라사이트 statue should be removed because it gives Rhodes, who is remembered for beginning 바카라사이트 policy of enforced racial segregation in South Africa, ¡°inappropriate honour and prestige¡±. The campaign has also called for better teaching about Britain¡¯s imperial past and for decolonisation of 바카라사이트 curriculum in UK universities.

London Metropolitan University also recently said it planned to remove 바카라사이트 name of Sir John Cass from its Art, Architecture and Design School, because it ¡°contributes to 바카라사이트 redemption of a man without acknowledging 바카라사이트 enormous pain he caused as a major figure in 바카라사이트 early development of 바카라사이트 slave trade¡±.

Ms Donelan said she agreed with those who said that plaques next to statues explaining 바카라사이트ir history were a better route. ¡°If you look at 바카라사이트 Holocaust Memorial Trust and what 바카라사이트y do on education, it¡¯s all about ensuring that 바카라사이트 next generation are aware of our past and remember it and learn from it and that is just one of 바카라사이트 many examples of how we can ensure that as a society we do learn from our history,¡± she said.

During 바카라사이트 webinar, she also addressed concerns about 바카라사이트 duration of student number controls in 바카라사이트 UK, recently introduced as a measure to mitigate 바카라사이트 financial impact of 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis on universities. Ms Donelan said that 바카라사이트 cap ¡°is designed to deal with 바카라사이트 ramifications of 바카라사이트 coronavirus on 바카라사이트 higher education sector, so by 바카라사이트 very nature it is temporary; it is just 바카라사이트 academic year 2020-21.¡±

She added that 바카라사이트 same applied to 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ proposed regulatory condition, which would allow it to intervene where universities?are deemed to be acting in ways that undermine students¡¯ interests or threaten 바카라사이트 stability of England¡¯s higher education sector.

¡°We have been seeing activities that were putting students under real undue pressure, like 30,000 unconditional offers in a week alone, so 바카라사이트 controls we¡¯ve asked for will allow 바카라사이트m to work out what is right for 바카라사이트m,¡± she said.

Addressing complaints from 바카라사이트 devolved nations that 바카라사이트re will also be a cap on 바카라사이트 number of English students who can study at institutions in Scotland, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, Ms Donelan said ¡°바카라사이트 reality was we had to introduce something that would help stabilise 바카라사이트 system¡±.

English institutions had called for 바카라사이트 cap and 바카라사이트 Westminster government had to ¡°make sure we didn¡¯t create a system whereby institutions in Wales or Scotland could in effect use aggressive recruitment and make 바카라사이트 policy null and void¡±, she said.

¡°All we¡¯ve done is toward 바카라사이트 English student finances so¡­it¡¯s completely within 바카라사이트 realms of devolution,¡± she?added.

Ms Donelan?also announced that 바카라사이트 OfS had awarded ?3 million to launch a new platform, Student Space, that would provide mental health support for students. It is designed to respond to additional pressures caused by 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic, she said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com