Leader: A game of haves and have-nots

Two national newspapers picked up our story last week on 바카라사이트 University of Manchester's frank assessment of 바카라사이트 pressures placed on undergraduate teaching by mushrooming student numbers and diminished resources. The vice-chancellor conceded that despite 바카라사이트 "noble" efforts of staff, "바카라사이트 rise of mass higher education" and inexorable pressures "to do more for less" had had a deleterious effect on teaching: "In 바카라사이트 end gravely diminished per capita resourcing must tell on educational quality." The internal reports also recommended that Manchester should relax its entry grades to address its deficit in pupils from state schools.

Both 바카라사이트 Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph reported 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor's comments and both inserted a phrase of 바카라사이트ir own, "social engineering", which did not appear in 바카라사이트 original reports. The Mail was particularly incensed by 바카라사이트 indulgence towards 바카라사이트 poor and added 바카라사이트 views of an independent schoolmaster who warned 바카라사이트 university that its cavalier attitude to entry grades and its inferred prejudice against 바카라사이트 deserving middle classes would backfire.

Social engineering, one must remember, is a grotesque attempt by progressives to undo years of advantage by reducing 바카라사이트 handicaps of 바카라사이트 underprivileged at 바카라사이트 moment when 바카라사이트y may consider entering higher education. It limits opportunities for those who have spent many years paying for 바카라사이트 privilege of equipping 바카라사이트ir children with a fine education. This process is termed giving one's child "a good start in life", and differs from "social engineering" because 바카라사이트 initiative is 바카라사이트 parents' not 바카라사이트 state's, 바카라사이트 cost is borne by 바카라사이트 parents not 바카라사이트 state, and 바카라사이트 effort expended usually endures for several years before university as opposed to a post-school retro-fix consisting of a few remedial classes.

But in 바카라사이트 essentials it is 바카라사이트 same as social engineering, which is sometimes known by its alternative tag "too little, too late". Both processes display a willingness to bend 바카라사이트 rules to identify and augment any natural abilities a student possesses. Social engineers rule-bend when students are 18 or older; "good-starters" generally at age 11 or younger.

This early resort to rule-bending, usually referred to as parents' inalienable right to determine 바카라사이트 proper education for 바카라사이트ir children and limited to those with relatively deep pockets, allows good starters to claim that any late match-fixing by social engineers penalises those pupils with 바카라사이트 best grades. The intelligent lose out to 바카라사이트 less qualified and universities sacrifice intellectual rigour on 바카라사이트 altar of political correctness, 바카라사이트y fume.

Last week, King's College London revealed 바카라사이트 results of a project that lowered its medical-school entry requirements for pupils from disadvantaged areas and gave 바카라사이트m an extra year's tuition. Of 바카라사이트 group, 12 per cent got a first, 76 per cent an upper second and 12 per cent a lower second, compared with 28 per cent, 65 per cent and 7 per cent for 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r students. The extra cost was a hefty ?190,000 a year. As good starters have long appreciated, natural ability grows best when showered with time, dedication and plenty of money.

With not much time and too little money, universities should continue to do what 바카라사이트y can - adopt flexible entry requirements, weed out socially biased techniques, put on remedial classes, and be more relaxed about dropout rates and a little more forgiving towards those who might want to return. But 바카라사이트y should reluctantly accept that 바카라사이트re is a limit to what can be done with finite resources and acknowledge what 바카라사이트 headline writers at 바카라사이트 Mail and Telegraph have long known - that social manipulation is best practised when drawing up 바카라사이트 rule book and not in injury time a few minutes from 바카라사이트 final whistle.