Interim Report Must Not Forget Part-time Students

12.00.00am GMT Mon 28th Feb 2005

In the week in which the Rees Commission is expected to produce its interim report, Welsh Liberal Democrats have urged the panel of experts, led by Professor Theresa Rees, not to forget the high numbers of part-time students in Wales.

Wales has a higher proportion of part-time learners than England, so any recommendations that fail to consider this could have a significant impact on tens of thousands of students in Wales.

Mike German, Assembly leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said: "The Rees Commission's interim report will give us vital information about the future of HE and the way forward for Wales. It is important that the concerns of part-time students are considered, as well as those of full-time students. The popular image of A-level students heading off to university on three year courses is no longer the norm for many people. There is a much wider variety of people who want to learn, and Rees must ensure their needs are fully thought through.

"The introduction of fees under Labour has meant that part-time learning - spreading the cost and combining study with part-time work - is becoming an increasingly necessary option."

Welsh Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Peter Black added: "At the forthcoming election we will be standing with a simple message - a Liberal Democrat government in Westminster would give Wales the powers to scrap tuition fees and top-up fees. Nothing could be simpler.

"In Wales, we have already secured Assembly support for a motion which declared that 'variable fees are, in principle, wrong'. We are leading the fight against this tax on learning, and eagerly await the interim report of the Rees Commission."

Notes:

Welsh Liberal Democrats are committed to scrapping tuition fees. The Welsh Liberal Democrat pre-manifesto, which was published in November, states: "No tuition fees, no top-up fees - university affordable for every student."

Wales has 60,500 full-time undergraduates and 35,500 part-timers. Among post-graduates, the balance shifts with just 9,900 full-time, and 13,600 part-time. Source: HESA 2002/3