Lecturers' Union criticises 'educational divide'

By Hannah Carr

A recently released study which showed that qualification levels differ in various areas of Britain has prompted the Lecturers' Union to issue a warning.

The academics' body said that those who live in educational blackspots will be hit harder by some government policies, like the increase in tuition fees and the abolition of the educational maintenance allowance.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), said: "The government needs to urgently revisit its education policies if we are to really offer improved life chances to all."

The report by the UCU showed that in some regions of Britain as many as a third of those aged 16 to 64 do not have any qualifications, which contrasts with only two per cent in some other areas.

According to the study, 11.3 per cent of people in Britain as a whole complete their school years without any qualifications.

This included 12.2 per cent of females and 10.4 per cent of men.

In addition, Department for Education figures have also shown that Muslim, Hindu and Sikh teenagers are more likely to attend university than atheist and Christian children are.