Rishi Sunak pledges to shut down 'Mickey Mouse' university courses and boost apprenticeships

Crackdown on 'Mickey Mouse' courses

Rishi Sunak, the UK Prime Minister, has promised to close down 'Mickey Mouse' university courses and replace them with 100,000 apprenticeships annually. Sunak plans to empower regulators to shut down degrees with high dropout rates that do not lead to well-paying jobs for graduates. He believes that these courses burden students with debt and waste taxpayers' money.

Focus on apprenticeships

The funds saved from shutting down these questionable degrees will be redirected towards creating 100,000 apprenticeships each year by 2029/30. Sunak emphasized the importance of education in improving life chances and ensuring that young people are not taken advantage of by subpar university programs.

Tackling student debt

The government's move aims to address the issue of students being burdened with debt from pursuing degrees that do not offer valuable skills or job prospects. By expanding apprenticeship opportunities, the goal is to provide young people with better employment opportunities and financial security.

Game-changing policy

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan praised the initiative, highlighting the transformative potential of apprenticeships. Keegan, a former apprentice herself, noted that apprenticeships can lead to diverse and successful career paths, contrasting them with the proliferation of low-quality degrees during previous administrations.

Financial impact

The Conservative Party estimates that shutting down ineffective university courses could save £910 million by 2029/30, while expanding apprenticeships will require an investment of £885 million. With a significant portion of student loans going unrecovered, the government aims to ensure that taxpayers are not left covering the costs of underperforming degrees.