When more education means less
By Prudence Chou
周祝瑛
Friday, Aug 22, 2008, Page 8
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‘The education reforms of the past decade ... have led to a proliferation of senior high schools and universities. In the process, big differences have appeared between the top universities and the lesser ones both in terms of instruction and prospects for employment after graduation.’ |
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A record 97.1 percent of candidates were
accepted to colleges after this year’s national college entrance examination.
But a more disturbing record was also set — the lowest exam score among those
accepted was 7.69 points, a big drop from the previous record low of 18.47
points set last year. The combination of falling birthrates and the
proliferation of universities has meant more schools have found themselves short
of students in recent years. To fill places, they have been lowering their
entrance requirements every year. This year, however, was the first in which the
lowest acceptance score added up to less than one point for each subject tested,
suggesting the examinee basically gave up on the test. Yet the student shortfall
for many colleges has reached a new high. Some could not even fill one-tenth of
the available places. The total shortfall is 10 times greater than last year’s.
This could be the prelude to a wave of closures among private colleges. How has
it come to this? If college entrance exam results are a reliable measure of
someone’s ability to go to university, what are we to make of a 7.96 score?
Could it really be that senior and vocational high schools are completely
failing to prepare their students for college? Does the problem lie with high
school courses and teaching, or is it that high schoolers aren’t interested in
their courses and are just drifting through school? What a waste of time for the
students and for society. And what about the parents? Are they failing to
properly appreciate their children’s inclinations and interests? Maybe they
should consider letting their children go to technical or vocational schools, or
go straight to work, where they can master work skills, instead of having them
go to cram schools again and again and sit exams just to try to get a college
degree. The shortage of applicants over the past three years has devalued the
nation’s universities. It used to be assumed that going to university would
enhance a person’s social mobility, improve his or her quality of life and boost
employment prospects. The education reforms of the past decade, however, have
led to a proliferation of senior high schools and universities. In the process,
big differences have appeared between the top universities and the lesser ones
both in terms of instruction and prospects for employment after graduation. The
universities are coming to replicate and perpetuate the polarization between
rich and poor. My own research indicates that the total costs of school fees and
living expenses over four years of study come to about NT$1 million (US$31,800)
for students at state-run universities and more than NT$1.3 million for those at
private colleges. However, college graduates face high unemployment rates.
Starting three or four years ago, the unemployment rate for college graduates
has been higher than the overall jobless rate and well above that for people
with other levels of education. Apart from calling for better quality education,
perhaps parents and students should weigh up the relative opportunities and
costs of going to college. All the more so considering that many people apply
for student loans to attend private universities, saddling themselves with a
heavy debt upon graduation. Such a financial burden can derail a person’s plans
for work, marriage, buying a home and having children. So shouldn’t we be
looking at alternatives to university? Otherwise, with a diploma in hand but no
vocational or survival skills, many college graduates will find it hard to gain
a foothold in society. As for those schools that are having trouble recruiting
students, the government should not jusanzencourage them to close. They should
consider other options, including restructuring or mergers and the legal
framework governing higher education should be relaxed. Above all, avenues for
working adults to engage in continuing education are limited, and the vocational
qualification system has not been properly implemented. Since many adults have
no way to pursue continuing education, people have no option but to enter higher
education and get their qualifications when they are young, rather than gaining
work skills first and going to college later. Japan began feeling the impact of
falling birth rates a decade or more ago, and the Japanese have been
implementing university restructuring and mergers for several years. Nearly four
in 10 Japanese universities find it difficult to fill places. These universities
have responded by offering different kinds of courses, reorganizing departments
and targeting different groups for student recruitment, with many classes aimed
at adults and retired people. What policies does Taiwan have to deal with the
surfeit of universities, shortage of college applicants and falling entry
requirements? Prudence Chou is a professor of education at National Chengchi
University. TRANSLATED BY JULIAN CLEGG
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