LONDON, Feb 1, (PRINTWORDS NEWS) A huge number of youth will not get the chance to study and get a degree as there are huge cuts on prices of higher education in England. The fund providers for the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) are going to state where the cuts will be made. Prior to Christmas, the business secretary who is in charge of universities, Lord Mandelson stated that the university budgets will be cut by 135 million pound in 2010 and 2011. This is in addition to “efficiency savings” of 180 million pound over this period.
In three years the total cut might account to 950 million pound so university leaders have started warning the government saying they are not giving importance to higher education. The president of Universities of United Kingdom, professor Steve Smith, the umbrella group vice-chancellors said, the cuts will affect the quality of education in England. There will be a very few places available for degree courses. He has apparently told the BBC, “Last year, about 160,000 students who applied didn’t end up going to university. This year, we already know there are about another 75,000 applying for university. So the number of students who go to university will be less than the number that actually want to go and thus there will be a lot of students this year who do not get a place at university.”
According to professor Les Ebdon, the number of seats available for students will go back to 2008 levels, though the demand is ever rising. He added, the funding council is going to include students who are done with their degree and are now enrolling for the second one while counting the number of students. Les Edbon puts, “It is quite ludicrous that the students of tomorrow should have their opportunities restricted on the back of students who do not receive any student support and for whom universities do not receive any teaching funding. There can be no excuse for the government limiting opportunities, and funding must be provided to ensure that all those who are qualified can find a place at university in 2010.”
As per reports, ministers had promised last year that an extra 10,000 places will receive the fund for students studying maths, engineering, science or technology. In December it was reported to be a “one off.” David Lammy, a higher education minister is very unhappy with the new scheme. He said, “We are confident that Hefce can achieve [the cuts] in a way that minimizes the impact on teaching and students.”
Sally Hunt, a general secretary of the University and College Union, said: “If these cuts go ahead the dreams of thousands of students, consistently encouraged to apply to university by the Government, will be shattered. Massive funding cuts will have a massive impact.”
A newspaper survey shows that applications at the top universities have raised a lot. Students are struggling for admission in universities like Oxford, University College London and Sussex. The situation is going to be horrible for students as there is a tremendous slash in the funds for education.
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