Back to University at Over 60?

Sat in my Doctor's surgery the other day, I started reading an article in "The Daily Telegraph" (well, there was nothing else to do while waiting). The article, by Tim Ross, "Over -60s are told: go back to University and retrain", outlines the government's latest scheme to reduce the unemployment figures by focussing on that notorious group of slackers and benefit claimants: the pensioners and the retired. I have a special interest in this group, because I am one of them.
As a (semi) retired person, my first thought when looking at this article was to be encouraged. "Great!", I thought, "now I can fulfil my dream of getting a degree in Anthropology and Middle English". I honestly believed (for a moment!)that the government was about to engage in an act of benevolence. Er, no, not quite. It's all about the Tory idee fixe: saving public money. As Ross says:
 "One in four people will be older than 65 by 2033 and economists have warned that the ageing population will place an unsustainable burden on taxpayers unless more people work for longer."
Ah, so that's it, I thought. The Higher Education Minister, David Willetts, does try to put a spin on it:
"Mr Willetts, who is accompanying David Cameron in India, urged workers older than 60 to give further education serious consideration. “There is certainly a pressure for continuing to get retrained and upskilled,” he said. “Higher education has an economic benefit in that if you stay up to date with knowledge and skills you are more employable.”

Mr Willetts said a university course had “wider” benefits, making people more likely to lead healthy lives."
The article goes on to sweeten the pill by saying that the upper age limit for student loans has been raised, making over-60s eligible for financial help. It was then that the whole thing began to unravel for me (I had time to do it - the practice Nurse was a bit late). "Hang on", I wondered (silently)," won't that mean people over 60 will have to work for years after graduation in order to repay their loan, as do their younger counterparts?" Tim Ross has the answer:"However, the average pensioner this year will have an income of £15,300 a year, meaning they are unlikely ever to be required to repay the loan".
In which case, I wondered, how will that benefit the economy? After all , the over-60s graduate will need to get a well-paid enough job to earn a good rate of income tax. Besides this, when the over-60s graduate goes for a job, they are unlikely to be seen as an attractive proposition to employers for various reasons. This is especially true in public sector occupations, where employers have an unspoken drive to rid themselves of older staff (ask any teacher over 50). Nor was it made clear in the article how older graduates were going to find employment when younger graduates could not find work. This point was emphasised elsewhere in the Torygraph by a real-life over 60s graduate, Linda Kelsey:
“Education is such a good thing, it is not reserved for young people,” Willetts went on to say. “There will be people of all ages who will want to study. There is great value in lifelong learning.” Now you’re talking, Mr Willetts, as I have lately discovered. But this has nothing to do with the labour market."
Anyway, the nurse was ready, so off I went to get my blood tested. I can only wonder - how long before someone tests the sanity of the present government? This inept initiative will almost certainly go the way of their much-vaunted (and dismally failed) "back to work scheme", which has signally failed in its efforts to get people off invalidity benefit.
Mind you, I'd still like to go back to "Uni" - but not with the aim of finding a high-powered job (which I'd be very unlikely to get).
Next time I visit the surgery, I'll take a book with me - or the Guardian.