How our money is still being wasted

There is a very interesting article in the Times Online today as follows:-




Why do Students Drop Out

The subject matter is why students drop out from their courses? This is a matter of concern obviously. Nobody in Higher Education likes to see students dropping out, or taking the wrong courses or discovering that they have taken the wrong courses, or taking fright, or any of the other things that students may be liable to do.

This is not what I have at issue with the government. It is that, according to yesterday's meeting of the Public Accounts Committee that £800 million is being thrown at the problem. This staggering amount has produced what kind of answer, might I ask. I have already commented in the Times that I would have given the government the answer for £10.00 and a packet of crisps.

This is an absolutely monumental waste of money, on top of the other monies that have been highlighted in my columns here as being wasted, such as the NHS University, the E Learning University, the administration of the Hefce scheme and other causes celebre.

All this is beginning to make the £100million that could still have gone into lifelong learning look very tame. Admit it, Mr Denham, your Department has not got a leg to stand on with these changes to the higher education budget. Oh and by the way, perhaps you would like to explain to us, why this £800m is being wasted, along with the best part of £1BN which I have already identified.