000331a-hfe REVIEW OF STUDENT SUPPORT - CONSULTATION DOCUMENT PUBLISHED Department of Higher and Further Education, 31 March 2000

31 March 2000
REVIEW OF STUDENT SUPPORT - CONSULTATION DOCUMENT PUBLISHED

The Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment today announced the issue of a consultation document as part of a comprehensive review of the present system of student support.

A spokesman for the Department said the Review, which was announced by the former minister, Dr Sean Farren on 10 February, would cover the arrangements for supporting full-time and part-time students in further and higher education.

The Review will look at the means-tested contribution to fees, student loans, allowances, discretionary awards, university and college access funds and other forms of financial support either currently available or, like Individual Learning Accounts, under development.

The main focus of the exercise will be on widening access to those previously under-represented in further and higher education. It will take into account the action of the Scottish Executive in response to the Cubie Report together with the support package announced by the Department for Education and Employment on 25 January 2000.

The period of consultation will run until 2 June 2000. Copies of the consultation document are available from, and responses should be sent to, Student Support Branch, Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment, Room 404, Rathgael House, Balloo Road, Bangor, BT19 7PR, Tel: 01247 279417. It may also be accessed on the Department's website at: www.dhfeteni.gov.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The terms of reference for the review announced by Dr Farren are:

To review tuition fees and financial support for students normally resident in Northern Ireland participating, part-time or full-time, in further and higher education courses in Northern Ireland and elsewhere, taking account of affordability and value for money.

To have regard to the desirability of promoting access to further and higher education, particularly for those groups currently under-represented, while taking account of the need to maintain and to develop quality and standards, and the position of Northern Ireland's further and higher education in the wider United Kingdom system.

To have regard to changes in student financial support arrangements elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

To have regard to new developments in support of lifelong learning such as Individual Learning Accounts.

To make recommendations for any changes to the current system, which would better target existing financial provision and, if appropriate, to provide costed options where these may require additional financial resources.

For further information please contact Simon Burrowes on 01232 257831/257792

or 0850 976067.