Prominent figures in the UK academic sector have pushed back against the government’s proposed changes to the student loan structure this week, citing that under the new system, students with dyslexia and other neurodiversities and learning differences will face harder barriers to overcome than ever before as they apply to university. The changes are part of the government’s response to the Augar Review, a report on post-18 education and funding in England that was ordered by then Prime Minister Theresa May. The eligibility changes are part of a package that also alters loan repayment conditions- there have been changes proposed to minimum earning thresholds that commentators believe could see graduates on lower-middle earnings suffering a large proportionate loss compared to their higher-earning peers.
The new student loan results and eligibility system would see any students failing GCSE mathematics and English barred from securing a higher education loan to attend a UK university. Many charities and advocates have spoken out against the measure, citing that the new system will impact disproportionately on students with neurodiversities and SEND, as well as having a pronounced and long-term negative impact on the life chances of students in these groups too.
Dragon’s Den star and Chancellor of Solent University, Theo Paphitis, has spoken at length about his own experiences with dyslexia and literacy differences, and has commented that the changes are unfounded – branding them ‘frankly ridiculous’.
“Taking those with dyslexia as an example, they might not do so well in their exams on the day – I know I didn’t – and this immediately, and unfairly, puts them at a financial disadvantage to their fellow students.
“Everyone should be given the opportunity to discover what they are passionate about, and in some cases attending higher education is one of the best ways to do this. The world is rapidly changing, and it’s time that the UK’s education system caught up and removed barriers, rather than putting more up for those who already may not be on a level playing field to others. Education isn’t one-track – there are different paths for all. To discriminate against giving a loan, which is to be repaid, and to potentially harm the future of a student with special needs, such as dyslexia, in this present world, is beyond the imagination of anyone with any knowledge of education and skills for the future.”
The move has also seen significant criticism from prominent individuals with dyslexia in the cultural sector. Benjamin Zephaniah- Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University and an internationally recognised writer and poet- has spoken out against the changes in The Observer, citing that the government should find a ‘more open-minded, more accessible’ approach to eligibility for a student loan.
“I’m a professor at Brunel University, and I oversee a whole department of creative writing,” he commented. “I tend to start my term looking at my students and saying to them: ‘On paper, you’re all more educated than me’. I had a completely different life journey from all of my students. Some of it was luck, but a lot of it was just passion for a language I was dyslexic in.
“In school, I was a failure. Now they study my books to pass exams. We have to be a bit more creative and open-minded about the way we get students into university. I’m a huge fan of apprenticeships. But in many things, you can’t have a one-size-fits-all approach. Not everybody should go to university, but not everybody who fails their GCSEs shouldn’t go to university.”
We’ll be bringing you more updates on the proposed student loan changes as they happen.