What are your views on the amount of people currently attending university in the UK? Below is a recent survey conducted by the BBC gathering students' and graduates' views:
I'm at university and to be honest I think that pushing people to go to university or further education in general is not the way forward. Some people I went to school with have done brilliantly in real jobs getting good money and enjoying their lives, I'm just stuck with a lot of debt.
Neil, Glasgow
Once again, this shows a lack of understanding of lifelong learning. The idea that in order to be a graduate, you have to progress from GCSEs in secondary school, to A-levels in secondary schools and thence university at eighteen is simply the model that most of us choose because it's expected. Lifelong learning means that you should be able to dip in and out of education as and when you need it or want it.
HMG's decisions to force post-16s to stay on at school and to remove subsidies for higher equivalent-level studies shows that they really don't understand the concept, and that's why the number of graduates is thought to be dependent on secondary school results. With a real commitment to post-sixteen learning at any time this link would be broken and we could get a workforce where everyone of any age can get up-to-date knowledge to the level they need.
We must move away from the "one chance" mentality.
Jon, London
Shouldn't the government be tackling the fact that many children in this country can't even read or write at 16 after 11 years of education? Maybe this would be a good place to start as children may then have more opportunities and be able to choose to go to university!
Carl, Manchester
I think diplomas may be a good alternative for those less able students. Sadly, there will always be a clear distinction between those that have managed to pass GCSEs/A levels compared to diplomas and how it affects their progress on their career ladder. I think that if employers don't recognise the benefits of diplomas then potential employees with these qualifications will always be regarded as second best. Attitudes need to change because we sometimes have elite students who study degrees that have no specific relevance to business. Relevant skills and experience are always more valuable to employers in the long run. Students are sometimes encouraged to get a degree then find they don't really get much pay to start with and the high university fees makes them wonder if it has been worthwhile. I think one of the best solutions would be on the job training, paid for by the employer.
Mrs Sue Breeze, Cambridge
I don't usually agree with Conservative on policies. But I'm right behind them on the notion that 50% of school leavers getting a degree is ridiculous.
The simple fact is, that if getting a degree is achievable by 1 in 2 of the population, it isn't worth having.
Garry Grant, Haverfordwest, Wales
Though this article makes a good point about University numbers, I am inclined to believe that it is more likely to be the outrageous cost of university nowadays, it seems that working straight out of college or school is infinitely cheaper in the long run and also allows people to get a job with no or little debt. It is certainly the cost which has made many year 11 students and college students reconsider this year around Southampton.
Cheyenne, Southampton, UK
It is not the number of graduates that counts but the quality of their learning experience and how knowledgeable and adaptable they are when they graduate. However, if someone enters higher education as a poor achiever who after 13 years of education is barely able to add up or string a sentence together we are expecting a lot from universities. Interestingly academics are also concerned about the quality of graduates being awarded degrees and the general perception is that the standard is now much lower and the trend is downwards. Unfortunately recent graduates themselves do nothing to dispel the concerns about 'dumbing down' with low maths and basic literacy skills and, even more worrying, an inability to demonstrate verbally an understanding of the subject of their degree in stark contrast to those from other countries. This is embarrassing internationally. In theses cases a diploma might do much to restore the reputation of a UK degree which used to mean something even twenty years ago.
David Raho, Okinawa Japan
Let me guess the future. A levels will continue much as they are now. The new diploma will be accepted by new universities but viewed with suspicion or confusion by others. The new Pre-U exam will be favoured by all the ancient and red brick universities and will be seen as the new 'gold standard' entry to university.
Kevin Herbert, Greater Manchester
The Govt's Diplomas are ill conceived. Too big, too complex, and difficult to implement. How many students at 13 yrs will choose a qualification that is the equivalent of 5-6 GCSEs in a single topic area? Certainly not the brighter kids and maybe not the middle ability. For instance, GCSEs in vocational subjects are equivalent of 2 GCSEs - and when they were introduced high ability kids shunned them as being too big. The Diplomas were conceived in a rush, with no consultation and without really taking account of what already existed at the time. I suspect they will fail to attract sufficient numbers across the ability range - and they will be radically changed after a hasty review.
Alan Smith, London
I think that people do gain a lot from going to university and sticking with education. Having been and done it myself I do now feel that it may not of been worth it. Spending 3-4 years working hard and running up debts of around ?7000 may have seemed valid at the time. Since graduating it has become quite clear to me that a decent well-paid job is simply a dream. Graduate jobs are impossible to even get interviews for and any normal job insists you are over qualified having such a good degree. You cant win it seems which is quite depressing at times. For now I am another one working every hour of the day in a call centre with horrendous levels of pay and no prospects. Future abroad is a very attractive option for me and many others I know.
Mark, Cheshire
So where are all these graduate jobs then? As a science graduate I'm having trouble finding them. I've applied for 100+ jobs in the 18 months since being made redundant (for being overqualified)and I've had no success.
Emma, UK
Nice article and so true. The college solution is not likely to work as it doesn't address the real problem. I am a university professor in engineering and my observation is that students are no longer eager to learn or 'hungry' for education. As a result the required hard work and ambition are not there and seemingly easy career options are chosen. Having just spent a month in Ghana (West Africa) the difference is startling... the educational hunger and in consequence appreciation of education is immense- few can afford it. Have we become too wealthy & comfortable to want to learn? We certainly will need the very very best brains- and they don't always come from academic middle class families- to solve the worlds increasingly complex problems, especially in the environmental area. I think we are failing to inspire young people and I would look at parenting, TV and other social issues for barriers.
Andrea Schaefer, Edinburgh UK
I believe that reducing our thinking to the number of graduates that we generate is causing an opportunity to be missed. I applauded the introduction of the new Diplomas when I believed that they were aimed at the needs of students who currently fail to reach the A-C target at GCSE ? and these form nearly half the total school population! The perceived need to give university access via the Diploma route is causing course content to be distorted away from the requirements of the less academically gifted. As I understand the intended curriculum, students who choose the Diploma will still study Maths, English and Science to GCSE level. This being the case, I fail to see the need to make the level 1 and 2 Diploma academic. At level 3, the Diploma could have academic options acceptable for university entrance while alternative, vocational options, would offer a route to generate the skilled technicians that society also requires. Who knows, inspiring 14-16 year olds with interesting Diplomas may turn on their academic capability and create increased numbers going into higher education which, after all, was the intended outcome
Larry Rowe, Norwich, England
I would like to see more people with a University education but has the UK got the skilled jobs that require it? I come from an engineering background, and with the loss of our manufacturing base, it appears that a lot of skilled jobs are disappearing.
Paul, Glos,UK
