Nick Clegg proposes student premium

Nick Clegg proposes student premium to help poorest entering university /summary

*Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/may/21/nick-clegg-student-premium-university

Nick Clegg’s proposal to offer the poorest students a premium to be able to make it to university has met some sour responses from a large part of the electorate. The main idea behind his plan is that poor families learn in an earlier stage of their children’s education that they will be financially supported by the state. The biggest barrier to enter higher education is a lack of aspiration. With this proposal Clegg hopes he can do something about it and to give the children’s aspiration a boost.  The Liberal Democratic way of thinking is that children even at primary school are thinking about their future education. Clegg wants to achieve a more fair educational system and heal the rift between the richer and the poorer and their opportunities. But this proposal will definitely raise educational funding and it will be difficult to draw a line to what extent funding can be used.

Reaction:

I believe Nick Clegg’s proposal comes from a good heart and therefore I can support his idea. For a fair system it is necessary that children from poor families need to get a chance of exploring their abilities and skills and that the lack of money should not be in the way. However there are many aspects left over to be looked at and this bill could not pass after thorough investigation. And I wonder whether and how many pupils in primary school are thinking about their future education. I believe most pupils will not do so until their last year at primary school.

By Renate Pollemans s3904663