Young people from low-income or minority ethnic families are most likely to miss university education if the government continues with plans to curb student loans in England, according to a study.
Almost one in four students who received free school meals (FSM) at the age of 16 will not be able to receive student loans as proposed by the government, the Institute for Fiscal Research (IFS) revealed.
The government’s planned reforms to the student loan system in England include blocking the access of applicants who fail to achieve at least a 4 or C in English and the GCSE in mathematics.
But IFS found that the policies being consulted could effectively ban a high percentage of students from the poorest families, as well as many black, Bangladeshi and Pakistani students.
“The general minimum eligibility requirement would disproportionately affect students who did not have the same opportunities and support to reach the achievement threshold and would widen the socio-economic gaps in access to university,” said Laura van der Herve, IFS senior economist. in research and author of the study.
The study found that about 23% of black students at British universities would not be able to qualify for student loans if the government chose to use the benchmark GCSE, along with about 13% of students from Bangladesh and Pakistan. But minimum grades would affect only 7% of white British students.
IFS said the impact would be reduced if applicants were required to have at least two E-level E or equivalent. Only 5% of current students who have previously been to FSM would be affected, although they would still be disproportionately affected compared to other groups.
Researchers note that while students who have not achieved the proposed minimum qualification have lower scores than their peers, almost 80% still graduate and about 40% achieve a first grade or higher second grade.
IFS also found that the requirements would limit applicants to courses where graduates are sought after by employers.
Elaine Drayton, the study’s author, said the GCSE’s minimum score was a “dumb tool” to reduce student numbers: will significantly reduce the impact on some subjects with a strong return on profits, such as business and computer science. “
The Ministry of Education (DfE) said the proposals were still under consideration and no final decisions had been made.
“Our consultation is not about how we close the door, but about how we ensure that there are many ways to improve a person’s career and life opportunities – whether or not it ensures that students are best prepared for university during year or helps them aspire to apprenticeship or further education, “said DfE.
Michel Donelan, the university’s minister, has tried to revive the government’s efforts to pass a bill binding freedom of speech on campuses in England.
Speaking to the conservative think tank Policy Exchange, Donelan argued that a “small conspiracy of the intolerant” posed a growing threat to academic freedom in universities.
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On Monday, the government decided to move its bill on freedom of speech to higher education to the next session of parliament, after the bill stalled at the reporting stage last September.
The bill requires universities and student unions to use a code of practice on freedom of speech and to protect freedom of speech within the law for students, staff and guest speakers. It is also creating a new complaints system to be administered by a new role in the Office of Students, the higher education regulator.
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