Technical Education

Data released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service reveal the number of UK applicants dropped from 506,488 to 462,507 – a decrease of 43,881 – as maximum tuition fees are trebled this autumn to £9,000.

Applications from English students fell even more sharply, decreasing by 9.9 per cent from 426,208 applicants in the 2011 cycle to 384,170 this year – a drop of 42,038.

The number of Scottish applicants, who will not pay fees if they study in Scotland, fell by just 1.5 per cent – down from 39,761 last year to 39,109 for 2012 entry.

Applicants from Northern Ireland fell by 4.4 per cent, while the fall was just 1.9 per cent for Welsh students.

Overall, the total number of applicants to UK universities by the final Ucas deadline of 15 January was 7.4 per cent – down from 583,546 in the 2011 cycle to 540,073.

There was a 13.7 per cent rise in applicants from non-EU countries, while EU applicants fell by 11.2 per cent.

Nicola Dandridge, Universities UK chief executive, said: “While overall applicants have decreased compared with the same point last year, the dip is far less dramatic than many were initially predicting.

“And if we look at the number of 18-year-old applicants from the UK, this has dropped by only 3.6 per cent at a time when the overall 18-year-old population is in decline.

“We will have to look now in more detail at whether students from certain backgrounds have been deterred more than others.

“We will

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IRON MOUNTAIN — This storm hit a large area of the central U.P. 

For Dickinson County, it’s their first major snow of the year.  But below that snow, was all that ice, which made for dangerous conditions.

Over 60 U.P. s

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The week of January 22-28 has been declared “National School Choice” week by, well,…National School Choice Week.  NSCW is a coalition of organizations, mostly private schools and charter school operators, whose mission is “..effective education options for every child.”  This mission sounds good, but when it comes to education reform groups words are often misleading.

Baltimore Education Reform Examiner Morna McDermott studied the partners of NSCW and found them to consist largely of profit-driven interests seeking a share of the billions of dollars spent on public education every year.  As she said, “A rose by any other name still spells privatizing education.”  

McDermott noted that many of the organizations associated with NSCW are also associated with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).  ALEC is a billionaire-backed group that also includes countless far-right legislators; and authors legislation for them to introduce in states across the country.  With no excep

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Nellie Doneva/Reporter-News Abilene Fire Department Deputy Chief Jim Frazier, center, and other attendees listen to the State of the City address by Mayor Norm Archibald Monday, Jan. 23, 2012, at the Abilene Civic Center.

Nellie Doneva/Reporter-News Mayor Norm Archibald delivers his annual State of the City speech Monday, Jan. 23, 2012, at the Abilene Civic Center.

Nellie Doneva/Reporter-News Abilene Independent School District Superintendent Heath Burns delivers the state of the AISD address at the Abilene Civic Center Monday, Jan. 23, 2012.

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Children born in the summer will no longer have an advantage over younger applicants when it comes to securing pre-school education.

Major changes to pre-school places were announced as part of a shake-up of admissions criteria by the Education Minister yesterday.

The biggest adjustment will see the birthday criteria changed and the definition of social disadvantage will also be re-assessed, in a bid to include low-income families.

At the Assembly yesterday, Education Minister John O’Dowd outlined what the new criteria will be to secure a full-time place at a nursery.

“The key change is that I’m going to remove the July-August birthday criteria, which is disadvantaging young children,” he said.

“It has been a demand for some time and recognised in a number of reports.

“I will use the first legislative opportunity to remove that.”

Children born in July or August will no longer get priority for places, and Mr O’Dowd said he would review and broaden the definition of social disadvantage.

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