Students: “grant system is destroying families”

Thursday 05 January 2017

Current and future university students have been telling some of the Island’s politicians what is wrong with Jersey’s further education grants system and how it could be improved.

The workshop, organised by the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel at the St Paul’s Centre, attracted about 20 young people last night. More were expected, but many have already returned to college. A similar evening is being organised for parents to attend next week.

The current funding system has come in for considerable criticism. Education says it’s looking at trying to overhaul it but so far has made little progress.

How much money students get towards tuition fees and maintenance is predominantly dictated by parental income. Some argue this is unfair and that it shouldn’t be means tested. Others simply say parental cut off levels are too low.

Jersey doesn’t offer a loans system. Education says that’s because the Island doesn’t have the cash to underwrite one. It also says the banks aren’t interested in helping, and that the UK government would have to make major legislative changes to allow Channel Island students to join the UK system – something it’s unwilling to do.

With Education seemingly unable to make any progress, scrutiny is compiling its own report and recommendations that it hopes will prompt the department to act. Scrutiny says it will be drawing heavily on the information gathered at the workshops.

Many students told the panel the current system left them feeling dependent on their parents, and uncomfortable about going away to study because of the financial burden they know it imposes on their family. Others said that because of a lack of cash their parents had been forced into making the harsh decision about which of their children could and couldn’t go on to further education. There was a general feeling “the current system is destroying families”.

Most students said they weren’t asking the States to pay all their costs, instead they felt they should have to contribute, and “begged” for a loans system to be introduced. It was suggested this should be funded by using the Strategic Reserve or by borrowing.

The parental workshop is also being held at St Paul’s Centre. It’s at 19:00 on Thursday 12 January. Scrutiny will be quizzing the Education Minister at a public hearing the following day.