Selection on the basis of ability & aptitude? What a novel concept!

By Drawer22 | September 2, 2010 4:38 PM

I'm all for selection by merit not lottery but why follow the US system of forcing students to take on huge debts for education. It enriches the country to have an educated populace. This makes no sense except to politicians who want dumb sheep who are easy to lead.

By Gary | September 2, 2010 4:51 PM

The Netherlands should be very careful as it alters its higher educational system not to look too closely at the US system for guidance (as I've heard some are doing.) The US system of higher education is economically unsound and headed towards crisis. 75% of university instruction is done by part time "adjunct" instructors earning between $2-$3K per course - with no job security, unemployment benefits, retirement accounts, or academic freedom. Students are borrowing large sums of money to pay their instructors very little. Instructors and students alike are saddled with debts that taint their future financial lives.

A 'third way' could be formed through creative initiatives shared by different nations. New ideas are needed!

Randi Cecchine
http://www.pcosdocumentary.com

By Randi C | September 2, 2010 4:57 PM

The University of California used to be free to all, but under the same wrong-headed ideology that lead to the current economic crisis Reagan did away with that.

The real tragedy is that this has permeated primary education as well. An American growing up in a poor neighborhood is so disadvantaged that they have little chance of entering a top university even though entry is "merit-based." If your father was a lawyer, for example, you will be 20 times as likely to attend college as a person whose father is a janitor (and 100 times as likely to be in the top 10% of income earners) even if that person scores better on measures of "ability and aptitude."

By RC | September 3, 2010 11:11 AM