Guardian letter on university reform

Sonia Sodha in her article on university reform was absolutely right to say that "the value for money question is critical", not only because of the idiotically high fees and interest rate on the loans, but because of the ever-decreasing teaching and tutorial times  (Journal:turn the universities into comprehensives, 18/08/17). "University reform should start", not only with reducing fees but with making it compulsory for all degree course publicity to include the number of hours, both of teaching time in each year of the course, and in tutorial time where any academic problems can be dealt with. Whether personal tutors are available or not should also be included.

      Sodha`s suggestion of "introducing a quota for working-class students" might run into problems relating to definition. An insistence that no university is allowed to recruit more than seven per cent of its undergraduates from private schools, in line with national figures, would be preferable.