The number of students receiving unconditional offers for university places has, we are told, rocketed this year (Sharp rise in unconditional offers prompts calls for reform at universities, 26 July). The decline in the quality of British universities in the independent international ratings tables can be traced back to Tony Blair’s totally irrational ideological decision to get 50% of our young people into university.
This was but the first step. In order to achieve this target it became necessary to reduce the entry qualifications. Step three then was inevitable – the level of the courses on offer had to be reduced to accommodate the lower level of student ability. Step four came with the introduction of fees in excess of £9,000. Students became customers with customer power – meaning the power to purchase the best quality of degrees. Step five, “good” degrees became ubiquitous and so further devalued, hence the need to entice sparse customers with promotional goodies like unconditional offers and freebies.
Doug Clark
Currie, Midlothian
• That the number of students receiving unconditional offers for university places has leapt again this year is only to be expected, given that higher education is the one area of public spending untainted by any form of austerity.
While every other public service has a finite budget limited by the Treasury, university education is funded by a never-ending supply of student loans, most of which are likely never to be repaid and are given without any of the restrictions and questioning associated with loans from banks, finance companies or mortgage providers. In these circumstances it is unsurprising that the supply of provision (university places) increases in line with the endless supply of funding available. The question is: how has this situation been allowed to arise and how much longer can it continue?
Michael Woodgate
Bristol
• It is outrageous that Frontier Economics should suggest (Report, 28 July) that teenagers would be better off aiming for an appearance on Love Island, rather than choosing a university education. The chances of them ever making it through the stampede of wannabes is virtually nil, and their lack of a higher educational qualification will make finding a real job considerably more difficult. But it is also unforgivable that you should quote this tosh, thus further feeding the myth that “being a celebrity” is a realistic, achievable and desirable career path for easily influenced young people.
Richard Platt
Hastings, East Sussex
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