It’s hard to know what to say in response to a proposed target for 70 per cent of young people to enter higher education, because the 50 per cent target was insane (“UK urged to set 70 per cent higher education participation target”, 30 September). All I can say is that it must be a different definition of “higher education” than the one that I use. The expansion of apprenticeships is welcome since it has become clear that few see education as anything other than preparation for work.
To flood the system with more mismatched students will not serve the country well. Seventy per cent participation means that those with below-average academic abilities will attend “universities”, partly at public expense.
msl_csp
Via timeshighereducation.com
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