Government's 'insulting' answer to university crisis - students should 'aim lower'
19 August 2010
Union says minister's advice to students to lower their university ambitions makes a mockery of Nick Clegg's social mobility pledge.
The universities minister, David Willetts, was under fire this morning after telling students to lower their sights and apply to 'less competitive' universities next year. UCU said it was astounded at the coalition government's 'insulting' response to students hit by the crisis over university places.
The union said that simply asking some students to temper their university ambitions could not hide the fact that around 200,000 students are set to miss out on a university place this year. If some students 'aim lower' then all that would do is lower the chance of a different group of students securing a place. It would not reduce the number of people missing out overall.
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'I am astounded that the government's insulting response to the university crisis is simply to advise some people to temper their ambition. After years of being inspired to aim higher the coalition government is actually telling students to aim lower.
'Education has the power to change people's lives and anybody who purports to be serious about increasing social mobility has to recognise that. Nick Clegg surely cannot be happy with his colleague's comments this morning.
'The real answer to the crisis is to invest in Britain's young people and create the extra places that are in such demand. Too many bright teenagers will be left with no educational place this summer and to chance their arm in the most competitive job market for years. We risk consigning a whole generation to the scrapheap of inactivity.'
The union said that simply asking some students to temper their university ambitions could not hide the fact that around 200,000 students are set to miss out on a university place this year. If some students 'aim lower' then all that would do is lower the chance of a different group of students securing a place. It would not reduce the number of people missing out overall.
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'I am astounded that the government's insulting response to the university crisis is simply to advise some people to temper their ambition. After years of being inspired to aim higher the coalition government is actually telling students to aim lower.
'Education has the power to change people's lives and anybody who purports to be serious about increasing social mobility has to recognise that. Nick Clegg surely cannot be happy with his colleague's comments this morning.
'The real answer to the crisis is to invest in Britain's young people and create the extra places that are in such demand. Too many bright teenagers will be left with no educational place this summer and to chance their arm in the most competitive job market for years. We risk consigning a whole generation to the scrapheap of inactivity.'
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