OccupyBournemouth

New Start

2011-11-09T09:10:00.000-08:00

Okay, we have a whole new start. This blog is now for information and updates for the Occupy Bournemouth campaign.

CALL Latest

2010-01-07T03:09:00.000-08:00

Guardian article: No second chances

2010-01-06T01:20:00.000-08:00

This is an older article but one well worth reading. Anne Wollenberg The Guardian, Tuesday 3 November 2009.

Please follow link to main story.

Second Degree Higher Education Funding

Many are just giving up on the idea of returning to university. They simply can't afford it, even though the alternative in the current climate might well be unemployment.

Adam Kasamun, 26, graduated with a degree in tourism management, but couldn't find a related job. He decided to retake his A-levels and study optometry.

The fees were too prohibitive, and Kasamun abandoned his plans.

"The ELQ funding arrangements incentivise universities to recruit more of the 6 million adults who do not do a degree. There are many opportunities for those already holding a degree to retrain."

But this will come as little consolation to Fellas. "You hear about bankers getting bonuses and MPs spending thousands on expenses," he says. "All I want to do is a
one-year course."

And another one

2010-01-06T01:00:00.000-08:00

I went to a university opening day today. I decided to go back to school after losing my job at 25 (not before contributing in excess of £20,000 in taxes) to be told it would cost me £10,000 a year for 3 years, international student rates.

I'm livid with a bitter taste in my mouth after knowing my tax has gone towards paying the cities fat cats so they can buy another car or holiday home with over 1 billion handed out in bonuses of which almost 70% is state owned.

I'm sure the people of the UK would rather pay for someone to retrain at school then to re-tile a bankers entire house as well as give them a nice new holiday home so they can escape from this mess the government has create.

To say i am disappointed and livid is an understatement!

A personal example: The Tragedy of ELQ

2010-01-06T00:50:00.000-08:00

To whom it may concern

I’m writing this letter to you faced with tough new challenges, financial and personal based on the governments decisions on higher education and the withdrawal of ELQ funding. As one of the people newly affected by this strange decision I struggle to see the reasons and benefits of such a cruel and hasty move!

In the midst of recession where people are losing jobs and need to broaden their skill sets we and you, the government, need universities to make us feel more welcome than ever. But that would make too much sense, instead the government is saying ‘ hang on, if you want to go back to school you’ll need a spare £11,000 a year.”

That’s £33,000 just to go back to school in order to creep through a hinged door and give back to society. A society that seems to be letting us down at every hurdle we come against. A society that is not rewarding or giving hope to those in distress but rewards those who fail.

I could say you are giving with one hand and taking with the other, but that’s not true. You are simply taking to the point where there is nothing left to give.

Firstly some information about me; I’m 25, I studied business information technology and graduated with a BSc in 2001. I’ve been working and contributing towards society ever since I left University.

In 2008 I set up an online business whilst continuing my normal 9-5 job. This proved to be a success even in these dark economic conditions. I recently lost my job, along with 2 million other people, I’m officially a statistic. I can’t complain though, I’m prepared for rainy days. I feel for those who are worse off than me, I really do. I have scrimped and saved all my pennies so that I could go back to school, losing my job was merely a catalyst, I was always going to go back to study something that is more fulfilling and rewarding to me.

Today on the 18th February I visited Goldsmiths University in London for their opening day and get some more info about the course I wanted to take up. To say I was excited is an understatement, there’s a certain optimism about universities and the students, there’s a fresh perspective that isn’t reflected through the rest of society.

It was inviting and thrilling, I was looking forward to getting back to it. I felt ecstatic and proud to know that even now with a global recession I could go back to school and feel good about my future, carve my own path as it were.

Little did I know... Within minutes I was told that because I had an existing degree I would be treated like a complete stranger to my country and any university that would credit my work would charge me approx. £11,000 a year.

Why? Because the government will no longer fund ‘second chance students’ but in a recent twist that uncovers the naivety of these decisions, the government wants more people to broaden their skill sets due to the rise in unemployment.

So just to check I’ve got this right; we’re in the worse recession since the mighty £ came to life, people are losing their jobs in their truckloads, we are rewarding failed city bankers with taxpayers money and taxpayers can openly see it everywhere they turn, we want people to go back and study to broaden their skills and find work but then we’re saying that it will cost them the value of a small Caribbean island. Something tells me we’ve gone wrong.

You can smell the publics frustration in the air, its like a thick fog consuming everyone’s lives. I have saved enough to pay £4,000 a year at Uni so to hear that the money I had would cover 1 term is devastating.

My excitement has been destroyed and I’ve been left with a bitter taste in my mouth towards the so called decision makers of this country. I have contributed in excess of £30,000 in taxes over the past 6 years. Those taxes are now paying the cities fat cat bankers with nice bonus packages. They are being rewarded for failure. Not only that but part of the bonus that will get them that 3rd Bentley or that new house in Hampstead Heath has come from my hard work. I’m paying for their failure.

Whilst they are driving around in their new cars and relaxing in their big houses, I and other taxpayers on the front line are suffering with blow after blow after blow. The richer are still getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.

If its not the government treating me like a complete stranger asking for £11,000 a year to study and give back to the society I’ve always provided for, its not giving work to our own people before welcoming it to others, its increasing parking fines, congestions charges, council taxes, inheritance tax, the list goes on.

I believe we’ve got it all wrong. Where’s the justice? I want justice.This is my voice. I’m entitled to voice my views, I know they will most likely fall on deaf ears and that one man and his voice never changed anything but writing this might make things easier for someone else in a few years time when the government overrule what has been a ill advised foolish knee jerk reaction.

As usual they will put their hands up and confess the error of their ways, but what about here and now. You may have saved some funding but will happily give it to our failed bankers who have gambled our country away, I’m sure taxpayers would rather fund for people to go back to school over funding failure. Perhaps I should become a banker!!

I’m devastated and not sure what my next move will be, I don’t dare turn to you for help out of fear you might make things worse and do not have the patience to hear some failed excuse of why pulling the ELQ funding was the right move, you heard it here right from the horses mouth. IT IS NOT!

I don’t have £33,000 to study! I simply want my voice to be heard, that’s what politics is about. I sincerely believe that the wrong decision was made and have nothing but resentment towards the government…University is the path that defines a person. The course would have made the world of difference but now that will have to wait, I’ll carry on fulfilling my destiny as a statistic.Sincerely Savvas Fellas

Latest NIACE Regional Events

2010-01-06T00:26:00.000-08:00

Event: Community Learning Champions: Regional Events 2010

Posted by Campaigner on December 21st, 2009

Venue: Various

Date: Various, between 19 January 2010 and 11 February 2010

Price: Free (includes lunch, tea/coffee)

A series of regional events are planned for 2010 as part of the National Support Programme for Community Learning Champions (CLC).

These events will be of interest to CLCs and managers of existing and developing CLC schemes based in the region and those considering setting up schemes in the future.
Information about these events and how to apply is available on the NIACE website at:

NIACE Regional Events

The Inquiry into the Future of Lifelong Learning

2010-01-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

On 17 September NIACE published its final report ‘Learning Through Life’, the culmination of an investigation by an independent commission into lifelong learning set up 2 years ago.

The report calls for a radical rethink of the way Government, employers and individuals spend an estimated £55 billion every year on lifelong learning. According to the Report, the present system is heavily front-loaded, favouring the young and already advantaged. This leaves too many people under-equipped to deal with the accelerating health, social, technological and economic changes all adults face as we go through the different stages of our lives.

The report calls for: a set of entitlements tied to 4 stages of life; no distinction of financial support between full and part time learning; a flexible system that provides learning when and where it is wanted; and development of people’s capabilities in digital, health, financial and civic education.

Find out more here at The Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning

Guardian Future of Higher Education Summit 2010

2010-01-05T23:39:00.000-08:00

Register your place at the Guardian Future of Higher Education Summit 2010.

An outward-looking forward-thinking summit stimulating debate and shaping thinking on rising to the challenges facing higher education.

The Guardian's annual summit for higher education leaders returns for the fourth year with a new format and a new outlook. It will be taking place at the America Square Conference Centre, London.

The combination of the fiscal crisis and imminent reductions in public service budgets coupled with significant changes in the demands faced by institutions means that the way forward for higher education has become increasingly contested.

This year we will bring together higher education leaders for a series of debates that will explore future scenarios for the shape and structure of the sector. Led by key stakeholders and shaped by expert analysis the debates will be supplemented with in-depth panel discussion, focused breakout sessions and insightful keynotes.

Merry Christmas everyone

2009-12-21T01:58:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year to all!

I hope to resume blogging in the new year so any news items or information gratefully accepted.

Denham against subsidising Spanish lessons

2009-03-18T00:48:00.000-07:00

Guardian March 17 2009

Paul Mackney, who leads the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning (Call), points out a contrast between the attitudes of the UK government and the new president of the US when it comes to learning languages. Over here, John Denham, secretary for skills, recently told campaigners that he does not prioritise "subsidising people who want to learn Spanish for holidays".

Call's diligent researches on YouTube have produced a campaign video of President Obama saying he found it embarrassing that all most Americans can say in Europe is "merci beaucoup". "You need to make sure your child can speak Spanish," says the president. You've heard about two nations divided by a common language, but no one ever said what the common language was.

More places lost due to ELQ policy

2009-03-18T00:14:00.000-07:00

University of Reading

Release Date : 12 March 2009

Following the decision by Government in September 2007 to withdraw a major stream of higher education funding, the University of Reading has completed a year-long project to identify alternative sources of funding for the activities for many of its adult and part-time students.

That review has now reported to the University's Senior Management Board and has concluded that there is no alternative business model which will sustainably fund the public programmes run by the University's School of Continuing Education.

The Senior Management Board has reluctantly recommended that the Public Programmes (Open Programmes and Certificate in Higher Education) admit their last students in this summer term. The final admission to the one and two year postgraduate programmes in the Careers Studies Unit at Reading will be October 2009

Professor Christine Williams, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Enterprise), said: "Like many other higher education institutions, we have been wrestling for some considerable time with the issue of how to fund courses that were previously covered by ELQ funding.

The hard fact is that the University cannot afford to subsidise these courses to the tune of half a million pounds a year

In this year's annual grant to the University of Reading, HEFCE reduced teaching funding by £450,000 as a result of the withdrawal of ELQ funds. This shortfall in income is estimated to rise to £520,000 by 2011/12.

ELQ policy: widely condemned: worst in last 10 years

2009-03-18T00:08:00.000-07:00

THE - 12 March 2009

The human costs of a heavily criticised government funding decision are coming to light as university applicants are hit by the new rule.

The change means universities receive public funding towards the costs of a student place only if it leads to a higher education qualification at a more advanced level than that already held by the applicant.

One student told Times Higher Education he was "devastated" after being told that the only way he could fulfil his ambition of gaining a place on the Royal College of Art's (RCA) industrial design engineering course was by paying more than £46,000 in fees.

The ELQ rule has been described by the University and College Union as "the most widely condemned government education policy of the past ten years".

When the rule change was announced in 2007, the Government claimed it would allow it to spend the money saved on extra places for first-time students.

However, since then it has cut the 15,000 additional student numbers it promised for 2009-10 by 5,000, and extra numbers for 2010-11 are on hold subject to a review later this year.

ELQ policy a disaster

2009-03-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

THE - 12 March 2009

Universities are closing or reviewing the future of their lifelong learning departments, blaming the "progressive withdrawal" of government funding for adult education classes.

This week, the University of Manchester confirmed it would shut its Courses for the Public programme, while the University of Reading announced a review of its School of Continuing Education, after being hit by the government funding rule for equivalent or lower-level qualifications (ELQs).

Reading has suffered a 69 per cent reduction in "other recurrent teaching grants" for 2009-10, largely as a result of a decrease in transitional funding for ELQ students, and it is reviewing how it can fill the funding gap.

When the Government's ELQ decision was announced in 2007, the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning warned the policy could prove "a catastrophic blow" to lifelong learning departments.

Sad day for Manchester University

2009-03-06T03:02:00.000-08:00

A very sad day indeed! We wonder how many more will follow before this government sees the folly of its ways?

The University of Manchester Course for the Public department, part-time study, has being informed by the University that it will close this summer.

The Dean of the Faculty thinks that the extramural lectures have not done enough to sell their courses to the public, and lays the reasons for the closure at their feet. That means from the end of summer 2009 there will be no formal extra-mural provision at Manchester - such provision being done on an ad hoc basis by individual departments without any co-operation between them and using post-grad teaching assistants and mostly lecturers who are inexperienced in delivering adult education courses.

The extra-mural students at Manchester as so annoyed that they have set up web petition at No 10 complaining about this closure and similar ones elsewhere. You might like to know that representations have been made to the Shadow Chancellor George Osborne about these closures by one of the charitable education groups in northern Cheshire (the Wilmslow Guild) and there may be an opportunity in the near feature to spend ten minutes within explaining about this awful situation.

You can find the petition at

E-Petitions, 10 Downing Street.

Given the grave situation facing many adult education centres around the UK I would urge you to have a look at the petition.

Please sign the petition.

Denham 'very flaky and easily upset'

2009-03-05T01:59:00.000-08:00

Times Higher Education 5th March

John Denham, the Universities Secretary, was booed as he defended the Government's record on education at a volatile meeting with campaigners in Westminster last week.

Responding to persistent heckling, Mr Denham told members of the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning (CALL) that he could "give as good as I get" as he sought to explain the Government's policy on education and lifelong learning.

At one point, the mood in the meeting became so hostile that he threatened to leave as the chair struggled to control the audience.

The lobby was organised by CALL - an alliance of groups including the National Union of Students and the University and College Union - in response to concerns over the withdrawal of funding for 1.4 million adult education places.

One member of CALL said that members were particularly angered by what they saw as Mr Denham's inference that adult education often amounted to little more than learning "holiday Spanish".

"That really riled everyone," he said. "I know people say he is a thinker, but he came across as very flaky and easily upset, with little idea about how to work a crowd."

He described Mr Denham as "visibly shaken and red-faced" during the meeting.

Gordon Marsden, a member of the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee and CALL, tabled an early day motion calling for the restoration of funding for lifelong learning in advance of the meeting. It was signed by more than 100 MPs.

However, Mr Marsden said that many more MPs who privately support the motion may have declined to sign because they were worried about keeping their jobs in the Government.

'Juan' Denham faces protesters at CALL Lobby

2009-03-05T01:47:00.000-08:00

The Guardian Peter Kingston Tuesday 3 March 2009

Labour's proposition is that courses - daytime or evening - that are more about addressing people's curiosity or desire for self-fulfilment than making them employable should get less assistance from the exchequer.

But opposition to that view has been vociferous, especially from supporters of the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning (Call), who came to Westminster to lobby parliament about the state of adult education. A match lobbed into a petrol lake could not have produced a quicker whoosh in committee room 14 at the Palace of Westminster than the explosion of boos and jeers when Denham uttered the "holiday Spanish" phrase.

Since Call was set up last October, Denham has expressed keenness for public debate on adult education. The ballooning support for the campaign from organisations large and small - from the Church of England and the Women's Institute to the Wolverhampton Pensioners' Convention - in the last four months has made some sort of conversation a political imperative.

Paul Mackney, the former general secretary of the lecturers' union Natfhe set up the campaign following a meeting in a pub in King's Cross, London, last June between Niace, the National Union of Students, and the University and College Union (UCU), Natfhe's successor body, said

"I don't think I have known a campaign to grow so quickly, apart from the campaign against the Iraq war"

Barry Lovejoy, head of further education at UCU, who chaired the event, said the union was "very pleased at the tremendous turnout at the Call lobby". Speeches of support from Denham's Tory and Liberal Democrat counterparts, David Willetts and Stephen Williams, certainly helped Call's cause.

No one matched the devastating impact, however, of the former education secretary David Blunkett

He read faultlessly from a braille copy of that now famous preface he wrote to The Learning Age, Labour's 1998 green paper. "As well as securing our economic future, learning has a wider contribution. It helps make ours a civilised society, develops the spiritual side of our lives and promotes active citizenship ... It helps us fulfil our potential, and opens doors to a love of music, art and literature. That is why we value learning for its own sake as well as for the equality of opportunity it brings."

The CALL Lobby

2009-03-05T01:39:00.000-08:00

THE CALL LOBBY

Yesterday more than 400 students, teachers and people from all walks of life descended on Parliament to have their voice heard on adult learning.

The CALL campaign organisers would like to thank everybody who attended and the many people who supported the day from a far as well. We would especially like to thank all those who agreed to speak and help us understand and articulate the complex issues that lie beneath the campaigns core messages.

Already we are seeing a surge of support from MPs as a result of the lobby, with 144 of them having now signed our EDM.

Please keep checking this website as we build a record of the day, including photos, speeches and press coverage as it emerges.

Support for CALL

2009-03-05T01:25:00.000-08:00

Liverpool Echo 25 February 2009

LIVERPOOL lecturers and students were today taking part in a mass Parliament lobby over adult learning courses cuts.

A team of 15 from Liverpool Community College, made up of past and present lecturers and students, teamed up at Westminster with protesters from across the UK for the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning event.

The protesters were due to have a frank one-to-one with Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, over the government emphasis that 16 to 18-year-olds and adults are taught tougher qualifications.

Medical News Blog 26 February

The Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, will this week face questions from adults who can no longer access education courses because of changes in government policy that have seen 1.4m adult education places vanish across the UK.

NUS Vice President for Further Education, Beth Walker, said: “Adult learners are constantly overlooked when the Government makes policy, but today they stand together in unity, making their voices heard and impossible to ignore.

This isn’t just a campaign about course places or fees; it is a universal campaign about helping people to fulfil their potential throughout their lives. Given the current economic climate, it will be essential for many people to learn new skills in order to meet the needs of the changing job market; the Government needs to recognise that it is in our long term economic interest to ensure that these people are given support and guidance.

Support for CALL

2009-03-05T01:19:00.000-08:00

Apologies for late news items, trying to catch up and don't want to miss any of the run up items.

Herald Express

23rd February

ADULT learners in Brixham are supporting a rallying cry for more Government money to be ploughed into gaining new skills.

Over the last two years, 1.5million adult education course places have been lost due to cuts and fee rises, says the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning.

Next week, CALL is lobbying Parliament on the day it is due to receive an Early Day Motion from leading educational MPs from all three major parties.

The MPs are calling for a budget that rises with inflation for the adult learning sector, and say that any under-spend should be redirected to the Train to Gain programme.

Their motion claims 'particularly at this time of recession, affordable access to the life-changing opportunities provided by education is the hallmark of a civilised society'.

Ministers have defended the budget cuts, saying they only affect classes like holiday Spanish and flower arranging, but CALL is concerned about the reduction in education opportunities for the unemployed and the need to provide affordable courses for all.

Jenny Harriman, head of Brixham's adult learning centre, supports CALL's fight.
She said: "With hundreds of courses in subjects from tango to working with children to chose from in Brixham, Paignton and Torquay, it's easy to be complacent, but the Learning and Skills Council grant is only guaranteed until 2010.

"I have worked in adult learning for more than 30 years. I know from first-hand experience how important it is to people."

Albert Lowe, a member of Brixham's advanced conversational French class, said adult learning is a great way to meet new people, make friends and maintain an active brain.
He added: "There is a very important social element in coming to a class and learning together. Adult learning should have a higher priority."

Brixham and South Hams MP Anthony Steen also lent his support to the campaign, saying: "Adult education is a crucial part of Britain's continuing development without which our ability to hold a competitive edge on the world stage will be threatened."

The alliance was launched last year by the National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education and various unions including UNISON, to raise awareness and campaign for the right of everyone to have access to learning.

Belly dancing anyone?

2009-03-05T01:11:00.000-08:00

Guardian 17 February

You know these non-vocational courses that politicians say they love, but won't pay for because they don't lead to jobs? Maybe they need to think again.

"Yesterday I went to my bellydancing class and I got offered a job as a bellydancer," Notebook was told by Lucia Quintero, policy officer at the adult learners' organisation Niace.

On Wednesday next week, Quintero will be stewarding the lobby of parliament organised by Call, the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning - but after that, who knows? "The bellydancing teacher wants to polish me up and be my agent," she tells us.

Bumpy road ahead

2009-03-05T00:55:00.000-08:00

BBC News date 6th Feb.

At a universities' conference this week, the Higher Education Minister, David Lammy, said the review of student top-up fees in England would "start this year".

So, experts like the head of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, Professor David Eastwood, now believe there is no prospect of the fees cap being lifted before 2013.

Since students from outside the EU pay full-cost fees, they are very attractive to universities.

Overseas students will be increasingly important, as the next few years will bring a demographic downturn in the number of school-leavers.

Forecasts show that between 2009-19 there will be fall of 6% in the number of 18-25 year-old university applicants across UK.

Yet the competition for international students gets tougher every year.

Bumpy road

There are other ways ahead for universities. One option being pursued by many is to offer more short-courses tailored to the needs of employers.

This is likely to be an increasingly important role for higher education.

But it is a risky strategy in a recession when many employers are themselves cost-cutting.

Rising unemployment will raise demand from individuals needing to improve their skills or learn new ones.

But affordability will be a barrier for such potential students.

Indeed, the government's decision to reduce funding for students wishing to take an "Equivalent or Lower Qualification", may price some existing graduates out of a return to university to re-skill.

So it looks like a very bumpy road ahead for British universities.

They may look back on the past few years as times of plenty.

Like businesses, they will need to be nimble and adaptable to survive.

Explanation wanted for ELQ fiasco

2009-02-06T01:41:00.000-08:00

Question from Mark Lancaster (Shadow Minister, International Development; North East Milton Keynes, Conservative)

The decision to remove funding for ELQ students was a knee-jerk reaction and a mistake. As unemployment rises in the United Kingdom and people are desperate to retrain, the Government are beginning to look stupid on this issue. Can the Minister simply explain why the decision was taken, and will he at least begin to review it? People are desperate to retrain, and they cannot under this system.

Letter from David Lammy to HEFCE

2009-02-06T01:37:00.000-08:00

Review of ELQ's

David Lammy (Minister of State (Higher Education & Intellectual Property), Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills; Tottenham, Labour)

The Secretary of State established when he finalised this policy in January 2008 that the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) should conduct an annual review on its impact. I wrote to HEFCE earlier this month setting out the terms of reference for the review. A copy of this letter has been placed in the House of Commons Library. HEFCE has started work on the review and plan to report later in the year.

Number of part time students falling

2009-02-06T01:28:00.000-08:00

BBC News

Shadow Innovation, Universities and Skills Secretary, David Willetts said: "We have got used to student numbers growing year after year, but that trend is now over.
This is the death knell of Labour's target of 50% of young adults going on to higher education
David Willetts, shadow universities secretary

"For the first time for many years the number of UK students actually fell last year.

"In particular, part-time students are clearly being put off by the raw deal they get under this government.

"This is the death knell of Labour's target of 50% of young adults going on to higher education."

The number of British part-time students in the UK fell 3% between 2007 and 2008, to 762,340.

Wales saw the biggest fall in part-time students from the UK (down 9%). In England, the fall was 3% and in Scotland and Northern Ireland, it was 4%.

The University and College Union (UCU) said this was a particular concern.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: "It is a real worry that the number of part-time students applying to university has dropped. Part-time study is key for students not entering higher education through a more traditional route and will be vital to the success of the widening participation agenda.

"In tough economic times we need to ensure that there are genuine opportunities available to people who need to re-skill or gain new qualifications. Part-time study is the only way many people can access higher education and we must support it."

ELQ: regressive policy

2009-01-23T00:41:00.000-08:00

Guardian 22nd January

The Higher Education Funding Council for England is set to approve a £50m rescue package today to help businesses and the unemployed retrain at universities during the recession.

Hefce's board is due to consider the initiative, which would see universities bid for funding of up to £500,000 to run training and skills programmes for business and unemployed people.

This would clash with ministers' unpopular decision in 2007 to switch £100m in funding away from "second-chance students" – those studying for an equivalent or lower qualification to one they already hold (ELQ) – to first-time students without previous qualifications.

David Willetts, the shadow universities secretary, said: "The government has got in a complete mess over ELQs. It's still in the process of implementing £100m cuts in funding for second-chance students.

"Universities will be on one hand having funding cut for people who want to go back to university and now being told to put more funding in for people who have lost their jobs who already have a degree."

Anna Fazackerley, senior adviser on universities at the independent thinktank Policy Exchange, said: "The government is clearly planning to help people who have lost their jobs to return to higher education — effectively overturning the disastrous cut to ELQ funding last year.

"The Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills has had a painful reminder of why cutting support for those who want to retrain was an utterly regressive thing to do."