Press Releases: Government’s weak response to university admissions
Commenting on the Government’s announcement today on university admissions.
Shadow Innovation, Universities and Skills Secretary David Willetts said:
“There is a serious problem of young people from modest backgrounds not getting through to university. But that’s because not enough are applying to university and it won’t be solved by Government ministers trying to instruct universities who should and who should not be admitted.
“Universities are not turning away students because they speak with the wrong accent. The problem is much more deep-seated within our education system and it needs much more fundamental measures to tackle it.
“That means more good schools. It means better support for young people considering university. It means a strong further education sector leading on to higher education, reform of bursaries and a fair deal for part-time students and returners.
“The Government’s policy is the wrong response to a very serious problem.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. The Government has said it wants 50 per cent of young people to participate in higher education by 2010. Figures issued by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on 27th March 2008 showed that the proportion of 17-30 year old students participating in higher education moved from 39.2% to 39.8% between 1999/00 and 2006/07. Among men, it fell from 37.1% to 34.8%.
(http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000780/sfrdius02-2008.pdf)
2. According to a report published by the Office For Fair Access (OFFA) on 24th January 2008, there is confusion about the support mechanisms for students from poorer backgrounds - 12,000 eligible students on full state support did not receive the bursaries to which they were entitled. (http://www.offa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/embargoeduntil0001_24108_fullreport_monitoringoutcomesfor2006.pdf)
3. On 27th March 2008, the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee, a cross-party group of MPs, criticised the Government for cutting £100m from part-time learners: ‘we cannot support the decision to cut funding to ELQ students in this way.’
(http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmdius/187/18708.htm)