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18 Jan 2010 11:34:20
Conservative proposals to make teaching an “unashamedly elitist profession” have been slammed by University of Bedfordshire Vice Chancellor Professor Les Ebdon CBE.
Professor Ebdon was responding to David Cameron’s announcement that he intends to pursue a policy to exclude graduates from some universities entering the teaching profession.
Speaking as chair of the think-tank million+, Professor Ebdon said the scheme shows “an amazing ignorance” of the role of post-92 universities in both teaching science and in training teachers.
The Conservative proposals were announced by David Cameron and Michael Gove MP, the Conservative Spokesperson for Children, Schools and Families. Mr Gove had previously said that graduates who went into teaching, with a good science degree from a good university, would have their student loans written-off by a future Conservative Government.
Expanding on this earlier announcement, the Conservatives have said that they would set up a panel to define a “good university” with the number of universities allocated expected to be in the “low dozens”.
Professor Ebdon said: “These proposals show an amazing ignorance of the role of the Quality Assurance Agency which assures standards in all UK universities. They also ignore the fact that the largest science departments are in post-92 universities and that universities like the University of Central Lancashire have recently re-opened chemistry departments.
“Post-92 universities also train the majority of teachers. Any scheme which undermined the role of the QAA or sought to exclude graduates, because they had taken their first degree or trained to become a teacher at a post-92 university, would cause a recruitment crisis in schools.
“It is surprising that the Conservatives should pursue a policy that would be unfair to graduates and damage the universities which were given university title, for both teaching and research degree awarding powers, by a previous Conservative Government.”
Pam Tatlow Chief Executive of the university think-tank million+ said: “These proposals are based on prejudice. Sadly, they will damage the employment prospects of graduates and the international competitiveness of UK universities. Students do not study different text-books or different scientific principles according to which university they attend.
“To suggest that a government-appointed panel could go behind the back of a national Quality Assurance Agency would isolate Britain from the quality assurance regimes in place in other countries and it would undermine the international reputation of the UK’s quality assurance arrangements and UK universities.”
Latest news» 2010» January» Uni Vice Chancellor slams Conservative plans to pursue "brazenly elitist" policy
