in today's paper about the need to get more 'working class' students into university. This puzzles me. Surely we should be aiming to get more able students into university? It should not matter where they come from.
The system is clearly wrong when an able student cannot get to university. There are far too many mediocre students there under the "everyone must aim for university" approach of the politically correct brigade. Many of them do come from 'working class' families. Some of them would rather be plumbers (and earning more than a 'professional') but they have been told that university is where they are supposed to be. There are also students from 'professional' families who have assumed that university is where they are supposed to be.
I think I must be terribly out of date. I think university is somewhere you should go if you want to go not somewhere you go because someone else tells you it is the right place to be. University should be for those with academic ability, a burning desire to learn more and a willingness to work. It should NOT matter what class of society you come from. If you have the ability and you are willing to work then you should be able to go. The same goes for an apprenticeship. If you have the ability, want to learn how to do the job and have a willingness to work at it then you should be able to do so.
Perhaps if we stopped to think about, took in less students to universities, recognised that houses do not build themselves, drains do not unblock themselves and electrical wiring does not appear at the flash of a light bulb, then we would all be better off. I should not have to spend time with students who are doing university courses they hate because they think they must.
The good news is that yesterday I finally managed to buy some paw-wear (footwear if you must). I detest buying anything like that - or clothes. I just cannot be bothered. As long as I look clean and tidy does it matter?
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2 comments:
Hear hear Cat, agreeing with you loud and clear.
I'd also like to see a system to support those who do not go to university straight from school (for whatever reason) but later decide that they would like to do so. Of course one can go at any age which is great, but in practice once people have homes & families and other comittments and such, it's very very difficult for many to do so. Some employers will support day release and the like (as well as distant learning places like the Open University) and it'd be great to see more of that and similar. How it'd work financially, I have no idea :-)
Well said, sister! I couldn't agree with you more. It just doesn't make sense to favor a "class" rather than judge on ability, whatever your class.
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