A NEW on-line magazine for students has blamed the Government for high drop-out rates at colleges like Bolton Institute.

Editor Rosie Wild says this is because universities take in so many students from poor backgrounds.

And the editor of www.bigbluespot.com says the abolition of student grants and the introduction of top fees are mainly to blame.

Many universities face fresh claims of elitism this year because they have failed to meet admission targets for the number of state school students.

But even though Bolton Institute takes in more students from poorer backgrounds than any other higher education college or university in the country, it gets criticised in league tables for having higher than average drop-out rates.

Rosie Wild said: "Higher education is now too expensive for poorer families. Most people who drop out do so because they can't afford to stay and that is a tragedy."

She says poorer students find difficult to support themselves while at college and are at a disadvantage when it comes to doing their work because they cannot afford a personal computer.

Tutors at some universities mark down or refuse to accept handwritten work and often long queues and time limits make it difficult for students to use college-based computers.

At the recent presentation day, BIHE Principal Mollie Temple called on the Government to makethe college a university and follow the agenda of wiping out elitism and promoting social inclusion.