Parents and pressure 1

In "Hey, Prof, my dad wants to see you" and the leader "Parents must keep out" (June 24) you write about demanding parents. I teach a lot of international students who are away from home for the first time and get sucked in by the attractions of the big city. If they had parental supervision perhaps they would concentrate on their studies.

On the other hand, they have to learn by making mistakes, and their parents have to cut them free at some time.

Becoming an independent thinker is a vital part of the higher education experience, but while this may be good in theory, it is extremely difficult in practice. Students have no time to reflect as they are under a lot of pressure, with lectures, seminars, coursework and examinations and having to work to support themselves and to pay their fees. Reflection comes years after students have left universities.

Bala Balachandran
London South Bank University