Carrot-and-stick plan for tuition fees
Working class kids are to be offered university places with A-level grades lower than more privileged students, the Government’s adviser on university admissions is likely to reveal next week.
Professor Steven Schwartz, vice-chancellor of Brunel University, on Tuesday will set out plans to assist bright students from working class homes and neighbourhoods to vie for top university places without fear of being burdened with massive debts.
Labour’s controversial top-up fees policy will be defended but high end fees ought not to act as a deterrent to poorer students, the report is expected to say.
Mr Schwartz is to back a carrot-and-stick plan where universities will be allowed to set their own level of top-up fees as long as they are seen to be acting pro-actively to recruit students from poorer backgrounds.
The PM has advised Cabinet colleagues that the top up fees policy must be clearly articulated to the electorate as many middle class parents fear they will have to bear the brunt of higher costs for their children.
Faced with a potential defeat at the party conference next week in Brighton, the Government may offer an olive branch to disgruntled delegates.
Fee remission, grants and bursaries for working class kids may entail that they would avoid having to pay any of the 3,000 pounds a year fees.
Education Secretary Charles Clarke said in The Telegraph: “The deepest concern is about the disincentive for people from low-income families going to universities which are charging the highest fees.”
It is thought families with a household income less than 15,200 pounds a year would be exempt from tuition fees.
