SYDNEY, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Introduced in 2010, Australia's move to a demand-driven higher education system has seen a sharp rise in university enrollments. But on Monday a new report from the federal government's Productivity Commission has highlighted that uncapping the total number of placements has also led to an increase in failure rates and a higher number of dropouts.

Brought in to encourage a broader range of students to attend university, the findings indicate the system has had "mixed success."

Although a greater number of "first in family" students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds have enrolled in university as a result of the new system, there has been little change when it comes to students from rural and remote areas.

"The chance of a university education has been transformative for many, setting them on a path to better economic prospects. But it is also costly -- to students as well as taxpayers," Productivity Commission Chair Michael Brennan said.

Calling on the university sector to be motivated by "informed choice" rather than just enrolling large numbers of students, Brennan added that a stronger focus on student outcomes, quality teaching and support is required.

"Government policy and university business models need to adapt to the ongoing shift to a mass participation model," he said.

By aged 23, the dropout rate for students whose attendance at university can be attributed to the new uncapped system was 21 percent, compared with 12 percent for other students.

According to the report, this is because the additional students identified often entered university with poorer literacy and numeracy than other students.

"Literacy and numeracy skills of Australian school students are dropping across the board, with the average student falling behind a whole school year in maths since 2003," the report said.

"Poor literacy and numeracy affects those from disadvantaged backgrounds the most, making them far less likely to go on to university and succeed academically."

Taking aim at the lack of help offered to underprivileged students, The National Union of Students (NUS) President Desiree Cai told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation there is not enough support for students given the increased numbers.

"From my perspective as a student on campus and from hearing from other students around the country, unis (universities) haven't been providing enough support for those additional students who are from less-well-off backgrounds," Cai said.

"The cynical view would be that in the current funding environment in the higher education system, universities are increasingly operating like businesses and student success is not as prioritized as student numbers and the fees that come with that."

But the chief executive of Universities Australia, Catriona Jackson, shrugged off the report's findings, telling local media "they're just looking at students under 22 years of age," she said.

"If you just look at one of those groups, Indigenous students, a third of the Indigenous students who are studying in universities are over 30 and those numbers have doubled, so we're not counting the right cohort."

"The numbers we have always used -- and I am sure these are correct -- are that regional students have increased by 50 percent in the last eight years or so."

"Indigenous students have doubled, low-socio-economic students, students from disadvantaged backgrounds, are up by 66 percent and students with a disability up by 120 percent. So these are substantial gains." Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)