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Government ducking scrutiny of university funding plans by hiding loan reforms in schools bill

27 January 2011

UCU today accused the government of ducking further scrutiny of its 'punitive' plans for university funding after it added reforms to the student loans system in England to an education bill that is dominated by school reforms.

The bill, tabled in the House of Commons this morning, primarily concerns itself with bad behaviour in the classroom and new powers for teachers to exclude unruly pupils. However, the government has added on legislation that allows variable rates of interest on student loans.
 
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The general public will see this for what it is – a stealth tax on learning and achievement – and it doesn't matter what piece of legislation the government tries to hide it in. Sneaking these plans into a schools bill is yet another indication that the government has lost the argument on student funding and is terrified of further scrutiny of such a punitive policy.
 
'Graduate unemployment is at a 10-year high, yet the government has introduced policies to increase student debt to record levels and then charge even higher rates of interest. Surely now the government will stop trying to spin these damaging and unfair policies as progressive.'
Last updated: 11 December 2015

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