TERTIARY EDUCATION NEEDS A RADICAL REFORM

In Britain Today there is a debate about the value and credibility of A Level examinations which are usually taken at age 18 and which act as an entry standard for a University first Degree in a British University. There is also controversy about students having to fund their University education with some £28,000 fees for a 3 year course plus living costs and social expenditure.. Universities are continuously asking for more funding.
Employers are raising their standards for recruitment - demanding a 2.1 degree. The poor student who has attained a 2.2 does not get a chance even though there are only a few % marks between a 2.1 and 2.2 degree.
Clearly, there is a need for some more radical thinking about A Levels and the criteria for recruitment policies. Here are some of the improvements which can be made to the present system -

• University entry should be based on a new BCE qualification - British Certificate of Education - to replace the current GCSE examinations.It will be taken at age 16. There should be 8 subjects included in the curriculum including English, Mathematics and a Foreign Language. An overall  % score of 6 x 50% of six major subjects + 2 x 40% of vocational subjects  must be obtained in order to gain entry into the Y1 and Y2 University Degree course which will be studied at school at the old sixth form stage.

• A Level examinations should be eliminated

• Selection for a new styled University Degree should be based on attainment level of results in the BCE plus test results for Emotional Intelligence ( as defined by Henley Business School )  and Psychological Profiling. This combination of factors will give a better level of judgement about a student's potential rather than relying on IQ or Examination results only.

Whilst still at school from aged 16 - 18, the student will study for Year 1 and Year 2 of the chosen degree course. After successful completion of Y1 and Y2 the student will leave school and enter University to complete the degree - 1 more year for a BA Degree for example. Higher Degrees will remain basically the same - 2 more years for a Masters Degree and 3 years for a PhD Degree.
The length of time for professional degrees such as medicine will be reduced by 2 years due to the abolition of A levels.

As a result of these changes -

• The cost of University Education academic fees for students will be reduced by an average of £18,000.
• Living costs of the student will be reduced by 2 years of costs.
• The levels of financial contributions from parents will be drastically reduced.
• This will help young people to save their deposits for a house earlier than previously
• Students can enter the workforce earlier and thereby contribute to taxation revenues and GDP in the United Kingdom.
• University costs will be reduced and hence the demands on state funding.
• Workplace recruitment will be based on a broader range of factors - ensuring that the right person fits the right slot in the Company or Institution.
• There should be no extra costs for the schools.
• The overhead costs of the University should be reduced.

The overall impact on University structures, staffing levels and funding will be dramatic. The Top Universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, London, Manchester should gain due to increased student demand for Year 3 Degree studies.Students will gain because there will be more places at these Universities. The minor Universities might also gain if student demand increases but they must be prepared to restructure, offer more vocational and professional courses and perhaps reduce staff numbers - who can be re-employed in schools for Y1 and Y2 Degree studies.

It is no longer justified for students or Universities to claim that the Social life at University is so important. One year post school is enough for them to experience the social life. Once they have started earning, they can enjoy as much social life as they can afford.

So, why cannot we think more radically about the future of Tertiary Education In Britain Today ?
I do not claim to have all the right answers but we must start the debate outside the box and more widely.

The Business World, Recruitment Agencies, Government and Educationalists need a radical approach to Tertiary Education in order to satisfy the ambitions of the many for the benefit of the many and to improve the prosperity of Britain in future decades.

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CARE FOR THE ELDERLY IN BRITAIN - COMPASSION OR FEAR

CARE FOR THE ELDERLY IN BRITAIN - COMPASSION OR FEAR

Many people In Britain Today will remember the famous book written by George Orwell entitled 1984. In his novel, George Orwell painted a frightening futuristic picture of what life would be like in the year 1984. He fantasised that peoples' minds and thoughts would be controlled by Big Brother a despotic leader who watched every moment of peoples' daily activities by televisions and CCTV and he ruled the country with the aid of his Thought Police.
In Britain Today in the year 2016 , there are some disturbing trends in Society that could have serious consequences in the future for the elderly sections of the population that could make a sequel to Georage Orwell;s work - call it 2024 - very scary indeed.

Imagine you are an elderly person living in 2024. The World Financial crisis which originated in 2008 worsened during the period 2012 - 2022 and the National Debt in Britain got progressively worse. The British Economy had failed to recover and the Coalition Governments elected in 2015 and 2020 became extreme in their determination to reduce the costs of the National Health Service in Britain. We have to set priorities...we cannot continue to fund the care for the elderly.... the cost for elderly care is too high.....people are living too long.....something must be done.
At the same time, the debate about Euthenasia had pivoted along the lines that People have the human right to choose when to die - upheld by the European Court of Justice 2018. The Government - desperate by 2024 - introduced legislation that for the benefit of the country as a whole, funding for the care of the elderly must be restricted to those citizens under the age of 80 years .After that age, it would be perfectly legal for people to be put to sleep - humanely put to death. In this way, the Healthcare Budget would save millions of pounds.
Is this sheer fantasy or should we as a Society, beware of current trends and thinking that could result in a 2024 nightmare for the elderly ?

The future could be very different for the elderly. The principles of the foundation of the Welfare State in 1946 were- Care, from the cradle to the grave - could once again be the rightful guiding light for Government Policies towards its citizens.. In the 2012 Presidential Elections in the USA, there was a stark difference between the candidates. President Obama was in favour of medicare for the majority and in favour of the Cradle to the Grave philosophy whilst Senator Romsey took the opposite view that people should finance their own care and medical attention.
So, what should be the attitude towards care the elderly in Britain today and the future. It should be -

• Euthenasia should be legally prohibited
• The National Health Service should provide care - From the cradle to the grave.
• The right to life should be ingrained in Law for everyone

BUT, How can care for the elderly be funded ?

Here are some solutions.

• A Wealth Tax shuld be introduced on indivdual funds of £5,000,000 and above. This should be a progressive tax at a fair rate of taxation.
• Anyone with a British Passport with funds anywhere in the World should be subject to British Taxatioin Policies.
• The Bank of England should introduce more Quantitative Easing ( print more new money ) to be used directly to fund new Care4U Care Homes managed by the National Health Service in Britain. An injection of some £60 billion per year over the period 2016 - 2020 should be effective. This Policy  will lead to increased employment and job security within the NHS, benefit the Construction Industry and contribute to an increase in Gross Domestic Product. Goodbye recessions !
• Keysian Economics stressed the importance of the Multifier Effect from new Investment.  There should be more capital investment in Britain and more incentives to increase consumer demand to strengthen the British Economy.
• Inheritance Tax on estates worth £5,000,000 or more should be taxed at 60%
• Personal Taxation should be increased to 70% for those with incomes over £150,000 at 2012 prices.
• National Insurance levels should be increased to cover the cost of elderly care.
• No elderly person should have to contribute more than 10% of net assets towards their elderly care.
• The National Health Service should be responsible for providing care homes
• Private Care Homes charges should drastically reduced - charges such as £35,000 per annum per person - at 2015 prices - are totally unacceptable. The main source of elderly care will be the NHS with a role for the private sector - at reasonable prices.

There will be an outcry about these proposals from Government - Cannot be done - the rich - who will only be intrested in their own greed and glutteness wish to acummulate millions more to their wealth. Not all rich people are like this. Many donate millions to charity.and they must be praised.  But, the majoity are simply gluttons for more wealth.
The potential nighmare of 2024 must not be allowed to happen. In order to stop this happening, we, the young and the elderly must be vigilant to stop current thinking about the care for the elderly.
We must offer the elderly - comfort, compassion, a long life and support and not the fear that comes with them being thought of as low priority burdens on Society.

Beware Britain or pay a terrible price by 2024.  Will the future be one of fear for the elderly ? It is up to us.


RAYMOND WILLIAMS MA MPhil MBA DIPM
EUREKYS

April 2016