Universities need a big shake-up

BEFORE talking about reducing fees for some degrees in our universities in Wales, following on from the debate initiated in England, perhaps there is a need to go further back and look at what are the reasons for universities.

Oh yes, I expect vice-chancellors to protest as they appear to be at the overpaid pinnacle of a higher education industry created in the past 30 or so years.

I wonder how many people have experienced the myriad of changes that have taken place in the past 65 years or more, bounced around on the whims of various politicians using education for their own ends to gather support to gain power, especially the Left. I am sure readers will remember two significant political initiatives: “50% of our young people will go to university” and “we will do away with university tuition fees” readily come to mind.

Fortunately I have benefited from a wide range of institutions in Wales and over the border, both as a recipient and as a “lecturer” while also working in various industries, mainly related to the mining world, using the knowledge I had acquired.

Unashamedly I have a STEM background, as it is called nowadays, but have also studied a wide range of topics beyond that area and read widely.

Have we ever had a prime minister who has been an engineer and earned their living as such over a number of years? I doubt if we have had a member of the Cabinet of this like either. Perhaps if we had we would be better off as a nation now. I could suggest a major power in the world where several of their senior politicians have been, and they are doing rather well now.

Let me bring the wrath of the gods down on my head by suggesting closing 60-70% of our universities, greatly extending our part-time facilities using the redundant staff as “teachers” and the remainder retraining for primary and secondary schools. This would reduce class sizes and improve matters there. No student debt, and with scholarships to the deserving, but only on relevant courses. MJ Crouch Tonteg