Funding for lifelong understanding should not direct to further financial debt | Letters

It’s great that universities oppose limitations to schooling (Universities oppose system for pupil cap and financial loans in England, 9 May possibly). But when it arrives to grownup education and lifelong studying, the challenge is not just restrictions on loan obtain – it is debt by itself.

The disastrous collapse in aspect-time schooling in Britain brought about by the coalition government’s tripling of college service fees was due to its denial that obtaining into personal debt in afterwards everyday living is diverse from building a lifestyle decision of whether or not to go to college aged 18. For adult learners, it may be a decision in between getting a loan to analyze or having a spouse and children vacation that 12 months.

Investigate posted in Wonkhe this 7 days confirms assistance for lifelong understanding, but not for forcing adult learners deeper into credit card debt. As the Universities Association for Lifelong Finding out explained in its response to the government’s consultation, the entitlement ought to be to lifelong discovering, not to obtaining into credit card debt. Funding desires to be created out there for older grown ups to re-enter education – other than in the type of financial loans.
Prof Jonathan Michie
Chair, Universities Affiliation for Lifelong Mastering