At an Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel meeting, the Student Support Group said that the higher -education grant system in Jersey placed too much pressure on the parent, when the responsibility should rest with the student.
The group, which has 1,000 members, was formed to enable parents and students to discuss the issues relating to higher-education funding. Group member Nicola Heath told the panel: ‘Students cannot change what their parents earn, and the system is dependent on that. There is a huge inequality. In the UK, students can choose where they want to study, and not be based on how much their parents earn. The current system is discriminatory. Young people have a right to higher education.’
Students from Jersey cannot access the UK’s Student Loan Scheme, and Jersey has its own means-tested scheme. NatWest offers loans of up to £1,500. The average cost of a three-year degree in the UK is between £40,000 and £60,000.
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