Tuesday 5 September 2017

University reform urgently needed

The results of the IPPR report indicating that 134 university students took their own lives in 2015, and that as many as 26% of students in some universities "were using counselling services, or on the waiting list", are appalling (Suicide rates nearly double among UK university students to reach all-time high, study finds, 02/09/17). Far too much pressure is being exerted on our students, in 6th forms as well as in higher education, to attain the highest grades, so much so that creditable C and B grades, and second class degrees, are being sneered at.
   The current system is not designed to benefit the students, and universities are profiting, with vice-chancellors now pocketing excessive pay. The stress of leaving universities with debts of up to £50,000, and interest charged at over 6%, is clearly intolerable.

 A simple reform which could be introduced immediately is for universities to place in their publicity exact details of how many hours in each course is taken up by lectures, how much time is devoted to tutorials where academic problems can be discussed, and how much support for the welfare of the students there is. Whether there are personal tutors available, and how many, to deal with welfare issues surely is something all universities should make public. Being "overwhelmed" by the increase in mental health issues is not a viable excuse! If they are too ashamed to publish such details, they have the money to correct the situation;  they could start with capping vice-chancellors` pay, and spending the excess on employing more counsellors and personal tutors!

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