Report piles pressure over second-degree funding cut

Thursday, 27 March 2008 12:01 AM

The government should have waited before deciding to cut funding for those studying for a second degree, MPs believe.

A report from the Commons' innovation, universities, science and skills committee out today says the forthcoming review of tuition fees due next year would have been the best time to make the change.

As it stands those studying for a qualification at the same or lower level than one they already hold face the withdrawal of state-paid support from 2008/09, meaning a fees increase of up to 200 per cent for some students.

MPs believe this decision was taken "in haste" and that the full effects of the move "have not been fully examined".

"We could find no convincing evidence that ELQ students were preventing access for first-time undergraduates or that there was a significant unmet demand from first-time graduates," committee chairman Phil Willis explained.

"Nor did we see any convincing evidence that part-time students would gain from the redistribution of funds away from ELQ students.

"Indeed overall support for part-time students remains precarious and we felt that these proposals are actually in danger of undermining improvements and current progress."

Students and higher education institutions appear to support the MPs' judgment on the issue.

National Union of Students president Gemma Tumelty said the "deeply flawed policy" would impact part-time students especially badly and would "badly affect those institutions that have excelled at widening participation in higher education".

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the Universities and College Union, agreed. She said the withdrawal was the "least-supported education policy in this government's history" and reiterated her demands that the government review its decision.

Approximately £100 million will be affected by the funding withdrawal, although the government has insisted it will not remove the money from its spending on higher education.

The Conservatives' shadow secretary for innovation, universities and skills, David Willetts, said ministers "should admit they have got it wrong".

"This powerful report reinforces all our objections to the Government's policy which has hit second-chance students so hard," he said.

"There was no prior consultation. The consequences were not examined properly. And the transitional arrangements are deeply unfair."

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills pointed out the move would allow at least 20,000 people studying for the first time into university.

Higher education minister Bill Rammell said: "The government is right that public policy should give priority to students who have not studied for a first degree over those who already have one.

"We believe we have struck the right balance between creating opportunities for first time students and those who need to return to study."

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