million+ comment on Demos report: Service Nation
Responding to the new Demos report: Service Nation, Pam Tatlow, Chief Executive of the university think-tank million+ said: “This report will get few marks from students or universities. The authors clearly do not understand the extent of the voluntary and community service activities which are already promoted by universities and local student unions. Many of these intiatives have been running for over twenty years and some are linked with course programmes so that students undertaking voluntary activities can also achieve academic credit.
“Demos is working on a very out-dated notion that students are all young and have no other commitments. Many of today’s students work part-time to help fund their full-time studies; many are older with family commitments of their own and many are studying part-time. A compulsory scheme will be neither welcome nor practical and would undermine the range of community work which is already being undertaken
“It is, however, particularly surprising that the proposals to increase interest rates on student loans in order to pay for a nation-wide civic service scheme have been endorsed by David Lammy and David Willetts who is on the Board of Demos.
“David Lammy and David Willetts have just co-commissioned an independent review of student support and student loans in England. There was nothing in the terms of reference to suggest that the Fees Review team should be looking for graduates to pay more in order to pay for other third-sector intitiatives. Both frontbenches appear to be dictating outcome from the sidelines. This casts real doubt on the independence of the Fees Review and Labour and the Conservatives both need to come clean with voters. Students, their families and universities need to know whether this is a manifesto commitment and whether the next Government is going to change the rules of the game and make students and graduates from England fund a national civic service scheme rather than repay a contribution towards the cost of their higher education.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- million+ is a leading university think-tank, working to solve the complex problems in higher education. www.millionplus.ac.uk
- For more information please contact Victoria Mills on 0207 7171655 or 07900 277819