WILLIAM GRAHAM CONCERNED AT UNIVERSITY APPLICATION FORM
QUESTION ABOUT PARENTS' EDUCATION
William Graham – Conservative Assembly Spokesman for Education – expresses his concerns that from next year the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) application form will ask whether parents “have been through higher education”.
“There is
already a compulsory question on the UCAS form which requires applicants under
21 years old – the overwhelming number of university applicants – to “give the
occupation of their parent, step-parent or guardian who earns the most”.
“The Government wants the information for its campaign to attract more working-class students into higher education”.
“My concerns are increased by the fact that applicants will not be required to provide this information. The question will have a ‘tick box’ for answers indicating ‘yes/no/don’t know/decline to answer’. What are the potential implications of answering don’t know or declining to answer?”.
“Conservatives are committed to allowing students to make the Higher Education choices according to their aptitudes and career ambitions, rather than their choices being determined by short term consideration of student debt. We seek the creation of a ‘knowledge based economy/population’, where everyone is allowed the opportunity to gain access to Higher Education, regardless of their financial circumstance. If a person has the academic ability to qualify for Higher Education, we shall provide the funding mechanism to allow them to realise their fullest potential”.
William Graham JP, AM
SPOKESMAN FOR EDUCATION
Email – william.graham@wales.gov.uk
