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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