IF Education Minister Tim Crookall MHK fails to secure Tynwald approval for the introduction of tuition fees, any alternatives will be ‘neither popular or ones we will be comfortable with’.
That’s the message from the Minister, ahead of today’s crucial vote on the department’s Student Award Regulations.
iomtoday asked Mr Crookall how the department would make the necessary savings without introducing these controversial changes.
He said: ‘I have already made clear that the reason why we are bringing these measures forward is to avoid the need to make cuts to our core services.
‘The savings we will achieve through these measures are equal to over 100 teaching posts and losing that many posts would inevitably lead to us having to consider the closure of some smaller schools.
‘I am absolutely clear that to inflict anything like that reduction on schools would have a dramatic impact on the quality of provision.
‘If Tynwald doesn’t approve the Student Award Regulations, we will be reviewing a whole range of options and any decisions we will need to take will be neither popular or ones we will be comfortable with but it isn’t appropriate for us to get into the detail of those possibilities at this point.’
The department has said that it expects to have saved £4.38 million after three years.
From then, the annual saving would continue at that level.
Mr Crookall said: ‘That means that we will still be funding Student Awards at around £7.5 million annually.
‘These figures are obviously not absolutes as they will vary depending on factors such as the number of students who choose to go to university, the number who study for more than three years and any impact of inflation on future fees.’
Under the DEC plans, all students would contribute £2,500 a year towards their degree courses for the first time, from 2014, with those whose parents earn more than £80,000 a year contributing more on an incremental basis.
A government loan scheme would allow students to borrow the £2,500 a year contribution.
Changes to the scheme were announced this month following concerns raised by students, parents and political representatives.