Some university students antics are annoying me
I was reading the other day in the Dominion Post online about students protesting a proposed hike in fees for 2010. Amazingly I still see that some students are banging away at the free education drum. Oh gee, I thought that one had long gone.
Years ago there were those who were fortunate enough to go through university and have their studies free. But that was another time and a very different situation.
Overall in the grand scheme of things a personal investment in ones education is an investment in ones future. You pay what you will or may be worth on the other end. For example, I know by the end of my degree studies my student loan will be at a certain (rather high) level and when I move on to my masters studies it will be more. But that's my own investment in my future.
To me, if the government pays for my future (education wise), then I owe the government. Some may say that its because I pay taxes the government should provide it for me. Rubbish. The government is tasked with so many things that in most cases the provision of a subsidised education system is good enough. Unlike some other countries, health care here, while not exactly perfect is not something we have to go out and pay buckets cash for insurance.
Our secondary school kids don't when it comes to the public secondary schools have to pay thousands of dollars to go to school. Or more money for resources and equipment. I think its fair to expect payment for big trips and all but for the most part, the 'donation' some schools request of people is a mare drop in the bucket considering the small amount of money there is in the education pool.
The PTE sector though is under fire by an education minister who is misreading the climate out there in nearly every avenue. Instead of dealing with low impact and low standard night classes at schools, she's completely wiping the area out. Deal with the small pockets of problems by getting rid of an entire sector of education. Reduce money availability for youth and TOPs classes while the demand is increasing, but not making funding available or more places available for PTE's to take more students.
I have no personal confidence in Anne Tolley actually. Personally, I have in the past heard the actions she has brought in to place in the recent months heavily impacting on the education sector by TEC and MOE officials which lead me to believe that she is acting on poor advice from officials rather on real things that need to happen in the education sector. An increase in funding to deal with the increased need to for training or retraining those who are on the unemployment lines to assist them with the finding of new jobs. But what has happened? I've already said it, wipe out the entire sector to eradicate a small problem. Like throwing out a whole container full of apples when there is one rotten one and shining up the ones that are left. Nah...just chuck them all.
Now some institutions are looking at taking in those who obtain the highest marks in their studies at high school. Somewhat fair as the university campus life is not for everyone...which I think would include me.
But I see students asking for lower fees or no fees and I wonder about this when I also see events like the Undie 500 and the latest one in the south island where all students are going to do is get off their faces and waste money let alone brain cells.
But this is the eternal cycle. Schools put costs up...students protest, the fees go up anyways...life goes on.
Overall though I think most students just have to realise that they are there to be educated not entertained. They are there to study to become contributors to society, not earn criminal records or spend half their education finances on alcohol and the other half on drugs then plead poverty. Most of all I think they have to realise that they are supposed to be adults, and adults are supposed to not act like louts. My opinion any ways. Setting fire to things, running riot around the place, smashing things up when you are off your face. You do and you oblige the law to target you.
Years ago there were those who were fortunate enough to go through university and have their studies free. But that was another time and a very different situation.
Overall in the grand scheme of things a personal investment in ones education is an investment in ones future. You pay what you will or may be worth on the other end. For example, I know by the end of my degree studies my student loan will be at a certain (rather high) level and when I move on to my masters studies it will be more. But that's my own investment in my future.
To me, if the government pays for my future (education wise), then I owe the government. Some may say that its because I pay taxes the government should provide it for me. Rubbish. The government is tasked with so many things that in most cases the provision of a subsidised education system is good enough. Unlike some other countries, health care here, while not exactly perfect is not something we have to go out and pay buckets cash for insurance.
Our secondary school kids don't when it comes to the public secondary schools have to pay thousands of dollars to go to school. Or more money for resources and equipment. I think its fair to expect payment for big trips and all but for the most part, the 'donation' some schools request of people is a mare drop in the bucket considering the small amount of money there is in the education pool.
The PTE sector though is under fire by an education minister who is misreading the climate out there in nearly every avenue. Instead of dealing with low impact and low standard night classes at schools, she's completely wiping the area out. Deal with the small pockets of problems by getting rid of an entire sector of education. Reduce money availability for youth and TOPs classes while the demand is increasing, but not making funding available or more places available for PTE's to take more students.
I have no personal confidence in Anne Tolley actually. Personally, I have in the past heard the actions she has brought in to place in the recent months heavily impacting on the education sector by TEC and MOE officials which lead me to believe that she is acting on poor advice from officials rather on real things that need to happen in the education sector. An increase in funding to deal with the increased need to for training or retraining those who are on the unemployment lines to assist them with the finding of new jobs. But what has happened? I've already said it, wipe out the entire sector to eradicate a small problem. Like throwing out a whole container full of apples when there is one rotten one and shining up the ones that are left. Nah...just chuck them all.
Now some institutions are looking at taking in those who obtain the highest marks in their studies at high school. Somewhat fair as the university campus life is not for everyone...which I think would include me.
But I see students asking for lower fees or no fees and I wonder about this when I also see events like the Undie 500 and the latest one in the south island where all students are going to do is get off their faces and waste money let alone brain cells.
But this is the eternal cycle. Schools put costs up...students protest, the fees go up anyways...life goes on.
Overall though I think most students just have to realise that they are there to be educated not entertained. They are there to study to become contributors to society, not earn criminal records or spend half their education finances on alcohol and the other half on drugs then plead poverty. Most of all I think they have to realise that they are supposed to be adults, and adults are supposed to not act like louts. My opinion any ways. Setting fire to things, running riot around the place, smashing things up when you are off your face. You do and you oblige the law to target you.
posted by Wiremu Bayliss at
9:51 am
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