YOUNG people may be deterred from pursuing higher education because of ‘ineffective’ government funding amid spiralling costs across the UK, according to a member of a campaign group.
Nicki Heath, from the Student Loan Support Group Jersey, which provides support and information to parents whose children are going to university, has called for the higher-education maintenance grant to be reviewed annually with a view to moving it in line with the rate of inflation.
She said that the system was not providing enough support for parents who could not afford to university.
Last year, the group called on the government to provide extra financial support for university students who were struggling to deal with the rising cost of living, energy bills and expensive flights to and from the UK.
This led to Children’s and Education Minister Inna Gardiner introducing a 7.2% one-off top-up for those currently receiving higher-education maintenance grants.
This, in combination with a 2.9% increase that was introduced a month prior, brought the total increase to 10.1% for the academic year.
However, Mrs Heath believes more needs to be done to support university students and their families.
‘The top-up was just a one-off,’ she said. ‘Since 2018, we have only had one permanent increase of 2.9%, which is a bit of problem when inflation has increased by around 21% since 2018 and the costs of everything keep going up.
‘It just doesn’t add up. The system has become ineffective again when you have inflation increasing like it is.
‘It seems crazy that the system has got to a point where it is stopping students from studying because parents don’t have that kind of disposable income,’ she added.
Mrs Heath said there had been no talk with the government about an annual increase in the grant.
‘We should have an annual review of the system with a view to applying an increase each year. This would give people certainty about the potential to carry on their studies and would help make education accessible to all,’ she said.
Mrs Heath said that while the end-of-year top-up had been a welcome relief for many families, it had only been ‘a drop in the ocean’ for some.
‘Due to the big drop-off in money awarded based on the income threshold, it has been more difficult for some families,’ she said. ‘I appreciate economic times are difficult but they need to make the sliding scale more gentle.’
Currently, those studying in higher education in the Island receive the same maintenance grants as students attending university in the UK.
‘Other places in the UK have different maintenance levels depending on whether you’re studying at home or further afield,’ said Mrs Heath. ‘We need to do the same because the costs are different for someone studying in the UK, compared to someone who may still be living at home but undertaking a higher-education course in the Island.
‘I know Inna is looking at this and hopefully it can be changed,’ she added.
Under the current offering, which includes the 2.9% increase, a student going to university in the next academic year and from a household with an income between £50,000 to £59,999.99 would qualify for a £6,174 maintenance grant for an academic year.
However, the 7.2% top-up last year meant that the total would have been £6,618.
