Reforming higher education

Ideally, Ontario’s universities should produce intelligent and resourceful people to able fulfil their lives with accomplishment. Unfortunately, they turn out too many who are semi-literate, unskilled and unable to meet the demands of the job market (and deeply in debt). This by no means applies to the majority, but in moments of candour professors will acknowledge that their classrooms have too many students with no real interest in being there. It’s not because they aren’t capable. Rather, it’s because the university, with its academic and scholarly orientation — especially in the arts and humanities — is not the best place for them if all they are really concerned about is getting a job. Such circumstances are waste of time, talent and money for the person involved, the university and society at large. Read more...