Education is a disaster zone

The Education Act of 1944 postulated three types of learner.

So far as I can remember, in broad terms there was a group characterised by high intelligence, who were able to deal competently with theoretical concepts and destined for academic professions such as higher education, the church, law, upper civil service, medical and scientific research.

Commentators at the time suggested this would comprise some 15-20 per cent of the pupil population.

A second tier was suggested as being of similar academic potential but whose talents were more closely identified as likely to benefit from course having a technical bias and a third layer, judged to be some 50-60 per cent of the population, possessed gifts that were "not specifically identifiable".

Success at a traditional university depended not only upon academic ability but in being able to sustain long hours of study at a level commensurate with the university's expectation in the realms of presentation of work and high standard of adaptation to its procedures both in and out of the lecture room.

Sadly a comparable system of technical higher education never came about, much to the disappointment of industry and commerce who to this day have to turn to foreign universities to fill important vacancies.

The 60 per cent not judged to be suitable for higher education were the subject of the Newsom Report, "Half Our Future", which was informed and sympathetic but not taken as seriously as it deserved.

First among the consequent disasters after the government's recent innovations has been the notion that a university education is a universal right whether or not the applicant is able to benefit.

There has been interference with the assessment system resulting in allegations that standards have almost been manipulated for political advantage resulting in the absurd A-level situation where it is almost impossible to fail, thus leaving universities with serious choices on unreliable evidence.

Heads of industry and commerce continually complain about the low standard of job applicants.

As a new academic year approaches, all in higher education hope for a period of calm and reflection. In a plethora of change it is important to remember that no matter whatever else changes, human nature remains the same.

There will still be 15-20 per cent able to benefit from a traditional university education, 15-20 per cent deprived of a high quality technical education and a fair proportion of those whose gifts are "not specifically identifiable" eventually making monkeys of the best of them.

Norman Freeman, The Greenlands, Wombourne.