Letter: High price of a university degree

Letter: High price of a university

degree

Sir: So I have to pay another pounds 1,000 a year for my daughter at university - on top of her living expenses - and I will probably have to pay even more for my son in two years' time.

OK, I am lucky that I can afford to pay for them. But it does change one's views. If I am paying this much, I want value for money. I am not enthralled by the fact that what appears to be 30 weeks of tuition turns out to be nearer 20 after revision time, exams and marking. I am not enthralled by the standard of teaching and the fact that lecturers are given no teacher training. I am not enthralled that "ordinary" A-level students are taught in the same language class as people who are already bilingual. I am not enthralled by tutors frequently being unavailable because they are consulting or travelling elsewhere.

Am I unreasonable? A university used to be a place where brilliant people carried out original research and also taught students. Great, but not on my pounds 6,000-pounds 12,000 a year thanks! If I am paying for education, education is what I want. Sorry - but there it is. You change the rules and you change the reaction to them.

Dr DAVID WEST

Gidea Park, Essex