A study of secondary English teachers I undertook in 1999 found the number of new teachers with an MA following the introduction of student fees was half the pre-fee number. In simple terms, the body of critical, disciplinary knowledge developed via a master’s degree became 50% scarcer in our schools.
While agreeing with most of the hand-wringing in “Arts & minds” (June 3), I would add a few points in support of a general view that our university system has been a shambles for some time.
The funding formula based on EFTs (equivalent full-time students) has had a devastating effect on universities’ ability to engage in forward-looking programme planning. They have become marketised; that is, their futures depend on their ability to market courses to students. Important courses that may be slow to build student numbers are canned and courses that required intensive staff input for their delivery have become unaffordable.
The funding regime’s bums-on-seats imperative has lowered standards, since universities can’t afford to “fail” students. Former tertiary education minister Steven Joyce’s bright idea to penalise departments with lower “completion” rates exacerbated this trend. High standards became a handicap.
The Labour-led government’s decision to waive fees for first-year students
