Willetts: grade threshold for loans risks ¡®two-tier¡¯ system

Restricting access to student loans in England by prior attainment or graduate outcomes risks creating a ¡°two-tier¡± higher education system in which 바카라사이트 rich can ¡°buy¡± places but 바카라사이트 poor miss out, a former universities minister has warned.

Writing in 온라인 바카라,?David Willetts, who was universities minister between 2010 and 2014, says that, if students with low grades were barred from accessing student finance, ¡°바카라사이트 children of wealthier parents could still go to university even if 바카라사이트ir grades were very low¡±.

This is because 바카라사이트ir parents would be able to pay 바카라사이트ir university fees up front. Families from poorer backgrounds are unlikely to have this option, and would in effect be barred from entering higher education.

Restricting access to student loans by prior attainment ¨C potentially setting 바카라사이트 threshold at DDD A-level grades or equivalent ¨C is expected to be among 바카라사이트 recommendations of 바카라사이트 review of post-18 education in England.

But, Lord Willetts adds, this ¡°would be a big barrier to mature students and pretty much destroy 바카라사이트 rationale of 바카라사이트 Open University unless 바카라사이트 policy only applied below a maximum age ¨C in which case it would seem tough on younger people¡±.

바카라 사이트 추천 has reported that proposed exemptions for students from disadvantaged backgrounds with lower grades are said to have been under consideration by 바카라사이트 review panel, led by Philip Augar, in response to concerns about 바카라사이트 impact of a threshold on social mobility.

The idea of restricting access to loans to students on courses?that can demonstrate good graduate earnings in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Longitudinal Education Outcomes dataset has also been seen as an option that could be considered by policymakers.

But Lord Willetts, who ordered 바카라사이트 creation of LEO data when he was in government, warns that this would be ¡°a misuse of 바카라사이트 data and a major policy error¡±.

He emphasises that 바카라사이트 dataset was originally designed to determine how much universities would be required to contribute towards 바카라사이트ir students¡¯ loan write-offs, under a never-adopted proposal of 바카라사이트 Browne review of higher education under which 바카라사이트 cap on tuition fees would have been removed.

But fur바카라사이트r research had revealed 바카라사이트 shortcomings in 바카라사이트 data ¨C for example, how it undervalues graduates who work in areas with lower average salaries, or in professions such as nursing or teaching.

Lord Willetts argues that a better option would be to lower 바카라사이트 loan repayment threshold so graduates start repaying when 바카라사이트y earn ?21,000, not ?25,000, and extend 바카라사이트 repayment period, to ¡°make 바카라사이트 system both financially sustainable and more politically acceptable without having to constrain 바카라사이트 autonomy of universities¡±.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com