Is this an effect of the COVID-19 crisis? The British government reportedly intended to limit the number of arts students at its universities, supposedly “uncertain”. The information reported by our colleagues in the Guardian caused a wave of shock in artistic and cultural circles across the channel.
This is not the first time the cultural sector has been targeted by the British government
Boris Johnson’s government’s argument for this issue section in the artistic fields at university? The applicable salary in this sector would not be high enough, and would not allow youth to repay their student loans. A loan of 140 billion pounds or about 165 billion euros. In this way the British Ministry of Education can increase its requirements and these areas can be considered entry level “uncertain”, is enough to discourage potential candidates. These measures will mainly pertain to the new universities. The Treasury seems particularly obsessed with the diminishing returns that would arise from artistic and cultural businesses.
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This is not the first time the cultural sector has been targeted by the British government since Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced in 2020: “I cannot claim that everyone can do the exact same thing they were doing when this crisis started. Everyone has to find ways to adapt and adjust to the new reality. At the same time, he advised musicians to change their profession, which caused genuine outrage.
a government “Anti-intellect and those who are only interested in money”
The UK university regulator has already announced a 50% cut in funding for arts subjects, a move widely criticized by artists and musicians who call the measure “disastrous”. The directors of the university are also angry with such a situation. In 2018, a study funded by the Ministry of Education found that arts graduates earned less on average than those with no education. A study was conducted today to legitimize the measure and encourage the youth to support the country’s economy ” truth “ Work. In a Guardian column, Nick Hillman – director of the think tank Higher Education Policy Institute and former adviser to the British government – maintains that ministers will one day surely regret “Anti-intelligence and only interested in money”.
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There is also the problem of equal opportunities that arises in the face of such restrictions. Experts and sociologists raise the question of denying student loans to those who do not obtain a grade A (that is, say the best rating grade) to access these courses. He believes this will actually penalize students from more disadvantaged backgrounds. However, a spokesman for the Ministry of Education says the government is committed to ensuring that everyone acquires the skills to find better-paying jobs deemed necessary to support the country’s economy. A pragmatic strategy that questions the cultural future of the country.
ondine guillaume