to think that Higher Education is not a right, it is a privelidge

[hairyfairylights]

Although I do think it's something which ought to be funded (at least for the less well-off).

I do believe in HE where it's appropriate, but I also know that HE doesn't necessarily make for a better, richer, more fulfilled life either!

I have to say I do completly agree, I believe we have got in this mess because of too many people attending university and we have therefore handed out too many loans which are yet to be paid back. Plus there aren't enough jobs for graduates as it is.

There is, in my opinion, little point in someone who achieve a C and two D's at A level going to university, they are clearly not academic. Furthermore where is the strive to better ones-self if you are aware you can get in with those grades? Where is the drive to push your grades up?

Hairyfairylights I totally with you on this. There is no point in everyone going just for the sake of it.

I do agree that we should not raise an expectation that University is the norm, and certainly that it is not for people who are not academically inclined.

I guess I'm less about discriminating - in terms of what people's results are.

I heard a student protestor on radio today saying one of their chants was 'education is a right not a privelidge'. I wonder where they got that idea from?

I suspect you're going to get flamed for this, but nevertheless, my opinion is that it is neither a right nor a privelege, it is a choice, and like almost every other choice that adults make, there is some element of sacrifice, which ought to be weighed against potential benefit in making the choice.

D

Lol was just about to start a thread after listening to the silly students on Jeremy Vine!
Surprising liked JH response - why should general taxation pay for it when that includes loads of people who havn't benefited from it. So agree that too many people are going to Uni - I think Infact we have too many Uni's teaching too many crap degrees. Poly's were a good compromise and the gap has not been filled by FE collages

And FWIW, education is a right, up to the age of 16/18 (depending on what you do), it's not a right for adults though, and there is hardly any country in the world where it is.

D

well since all young people hear from year 6 is "you will get nowhere without a uni education" I dont think it is unreasonable that young people feel they should be entitled to a degree else they will be failures as reinforced by every teacher from age 11 to 18.

Non uni qualifications are not considered in the same light and everytime gcses and alevels are reported on tv despite young people doing better each year they are accused of being dumbed down.

Cant we jsut say well done our young people are getting smarter?

Also think things like Social Work should be far more practically based on the job with some academic block release - the way it used to be . I know it was supposed to make it into a respected ''profession'' but think it has made it much less accessible to a lot of less academic but but very practical people who would be far more effective in things like child protection than someone who writes a fab sociology paper but has no practical experience of childcare.

I don't see how it can be a privilege and also be funded. . The definition of privilege is that most people don't get to do it (not able for a variety of reasons).

Agree with Gotabookaboutit - aaw something on BBC website re uni's that are at risk if they don't get more money. Most of them are 'new' universities i.e. old polytechnics/higher education colleges that provided vocational qualifications.

I think higher education should be available to those who want it but should be paid for by those who want it, not everyone else!

Well im a CEO in the higher tax bracket and I got there without a degree. And I don't think a degree would have made any difference.

But can you actually get into a Uni with crap A levels?

I've been researching recently and every single one of them, Russel group or not, wanted AAA to AAB.

And I echo everything LeQueen said.

altinkum - have friends who have been through the degree course and also ones who did the old route (am old) - you could be a family aid or similar and do a day release course. Now you have to go to Uni full time - I think it excludes a lot of more mature
or less academic people who could come to social work through less direct avenues. There are lots of carers and family aid, TA's etc who would be fab social workers and have practical experience of childcare, elder care and mental health issues. I personally think they are more aware of things like ''good enough '' parenting etc. Some but not all of the ones who have done the uni course are fab accedmically but a bit crap on the practical side - a bit middle class and a bit poncy to be honest !

"privelidge"

I'm with LeQueen on this one maybe 20% but 50% is stupid and wasteful. So may jobs are better learnt by doing the Job

Can someone who knows tell met how the polytechnic colleges were funded? Because it seems to me that if the still existed then the students attending them to do vocational subjects would still be liable for tuition fees/loans.

It's not a question of rights or privileges but of necessity for the country and ensuring that those with the best university-orientated potential are supported to fulfill it. For the sake of the functions in society that rely on degree level education, for the sake of the country remaining innovative, creative, adaptable, for the sake of the advancement of knowledge and that educational excellence persists at all levels of education. Degree level education benefits those who do not go to university if ther read newspaper articles or books, have children educated in school by graduates, need the servoces of a professional, wih our justice system to be run by peopel whose intellect is supported by education etc etc.

I agree that uni for the sake of it, and for many vocational courses has become taken for granted and is not necessary.