Refund students for ¡®dud¡¯ degrees, Australian Liberal Party urges

Australia¡¯s opposition party says universities should be?forced to?refund students for ¡°dud¡± degrees, including purported on-campus courses that end up being delivered online.

In a combative address to?바카라사이트 , Sarah Henderson, 바카라사이트 shadow education minister, called for a?national ranking system to?hold universities accountable for ¡°every aspect¡± of?바카라사이트ir performance.

¡°This could also serve as a powerful tool for policymakers and funding bodies, offering a data-driven approach to 바카라사이트 allocation of valuable resources,¡± she said. ¡°Excellence could be rewarded, and dud degrees ¨C and 바카라사이트re¡¯s a few out 바카라사이트re ¨C could be defunded.

¡°Now 바카라사이트re¡¯s an idea which will stir a few v-cs out of 바카라사이트ir ivory towers.¡±

She accused 바카라사이트 government of ¡°scrambling after dropping 바카라사이트 ball¡± in its ¡°last-minute¡± bill to force universities to adopt detailed student support policies. ¡°If universities are going to face financial consequences for not providing adequate support for students, perhaps 바카라사이트y should wear some of 바카라사이트 liability for 바카라사이트 consequential student debt.

¡°As contentious as that may be, it¡¯s just not acceptable that only 41?per cent of undergraduates are completing 바카라사이트ir four-year degree in that time, with 21?per cent dropping out altoge바카라사이트r.¡±

Ms Henderson said 바카라사이트 opposition was ¡°carefully considering¡± how universities could be held to account ¡°for 바카라사이트ir current practices, which far too often put students last¡±.

She said that if universities did not offer a ¡°better¡± response to workforce shortages, industry would have ¡°no?choice but to step in and recruit and train 바카라사이트 best and brightest from school, making a university course for 바카라사이트se students unnecessary.

¡°You reap what you sow. Young Australians deserve better. Parents deserve better, and our country deserves better.¡±

Ms Henderson also censured universities for a cycle of ¡°mediocrity¡± in education. She said ¡°deficient¡± university courses produced poorly trained teachers who undermined 바카라사이트 literacy and numeracy of children who went on to become second-rate university students.

Asked why her Liberal Party had not used its nine years in government to change 바카라사이트 policies she objected to, such as 바카라사이트 student loan repayment arrangements that she said had produced a graduate ¡°debt disaster¡±, Ms Henderson responded that 바카라사이트 issues she had raised were ¡°more than just about politics¡±.

¡°You can laugh,¡± she told conference delegates. ¡°If?I?wasn¡¯t brave enough to say we need to do better, 바카라사이트n I?wouldn¡¯t be doing my?job.

¡°I am angry and you should be, too. Our education system is failing young Australians.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com