UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has taken a strong stance against what he calls “rip-off” universities in the country, accusing them of exploiting international students with expensive and subpar courses. As part of the Conservative government’s agenda, new restrictions will be imposed on degrees with high dropout rates or those that fail to lead to professional employment. However, opposition parties, including Labour and the Liberal Democrats, argue that these measures could hinder aspirations and make it more challenging for disadvantaged students to access higher education.
The government’s plan is to entrust the Office for Students (OfS) with the task of regulating student numbers in courses that do not yield favorable outcomes, including future earning potential. Sunak emphasizes that success in life is not solely dependent on attending university and warns that many students are being deceived into enrolling in low-quality programs that offer poor job prospects, leaving them in a worse financial position.
Education Minister Robert Halfon has defended the policy, refuting claims that it targets arts and humanities courses. He emphasizes that the focus is on individual programs with inadequate employment outcomes. While specific degrees facing recruitment limits have not been disclosed, Halfon believes the policy will ensure good skills and job prospects for university graduates.
The government does not plan to grant additional powers to the OfS to cap student numbers. Instead, existing powers will be used to ensure students receive quality education and secure promising employment opportunities. Part of the measures includes reducing the maximum fee for classroom-based foundation year courses to £5,760, aiming to discourage unnecessary enrollment in subjects that do not require such preparation.
Rishi Sunak contends that these actions will prevent young people from being misled into pursuing poor-quality courses at the taxpayers’ expense, with limited chances of obtaining decent jobs. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan pledges to crack down on higher education providers offering substandard courses and send a clear signal against false promises.
However, critics, including Labour and the Liberal Democrats, view these measures as limiting aspirations and choices for young people. They argue that the government is reinforcing class barriers rather than dismantling them and express concerns about creating fresh obstacles to opportunities, especially in areas with fewer graduate job prospects.
Amidst the ongoing debate, Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Munira Wilson dismisses the policy as a cap on aspirations, making it harder for disadvantaged students to pursue further education. She criticizes Rishi Sunak for recycling a previously announced and withdrawn policy, suggesting a lack of fresh ideas. The debate surrounding the future of higher education continues as the government seeks to strike a balance between quality and access for all students.
