Hughes’ social engineering crusade

No wonder some backbench Tory MPs are apoplectic: courtesy of David Cameron, Simon Hughes has been elevated from soapbox to pulpit. Hughes’ first statement as the government’s university access adviser is to suggest that universities should limit their intake of students from private schools. He told the Guardian:

‘I think my message to the universities is: You have gained quite a lot in the settlement. Yes, you’ve lost lots of state money, but you’ve got another revenue stream that’s going to protect you. You now have to deliver in turn. You cannot expect to go on as you are. It has failed miserably.’ 

 Hughes’ appointment was controversial, another instance of well qualified, determined and loyal Tories being denied preferment to placate Lib Dem egos. The thought of the man derided as ‘the oiler’ holding forth with impunity would be bad enough to most who have been overlooked; that he is advocating social engineering to mask secondary education’s failings is unconscionable. Every year private schools pupils out-perform state pupils in A-levels; last year they were three times more likely to secure 3 A-stars. The failure of young black men and pupils on free school meals to gain entrance to Britain’s elite universities is well documented. Cries of institutional racism and snobbery are disingenuous; poverty, poor parenting and low attainment at bad schools are the offending triumvirate, and one which the government’s welfare and education reforms are designed to break. Also, a sinking fund within the higher education budget is to be used to encourage the underprivileged to apply and cover living costs (its implementation remains awkward as yet).

Hughes faces an already resolute opposition that will surely defeat him. In addition to the usual suspects from Private Schools and the Russell Group, Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of Universities UK, was suitably contemptuous:

 ‘I can’t believe that that’s a sensible way forward, for the Government to be dictating to universities that they limit the number of students from private schools. The key here is to make sure that initiatives are in place to encourage students from state schools, not limit the intake of students from private schools.’