John Holford argues adult education has “withered on the vine” (Letters, 31 May). Oxford has bucked that trend: its continuing education department runs more courses, with greater student enrolments than ever – over 1,000 a year, and 23,000 a year respectively (exceeding the number of Oxford degree students). Four examples are relevant to recent media stories.
First, the 1922 royal commission on Oxford and Cambridge concluded both should pursue continuing education, based centrally: Oxford in 1927 bought Rewley House for this purpose, and is planning to expand these central facilities for continuing education.
Second, in 1990 Oxford agreed postgraduates could study part-time, establishing Kellogg College to support these degree students, now the largest of the university’s 38 colleges. (The WK Kellogg Foundation’s strapline “helping people to help themselves” led them to endow a college to give people a second chance.)
Third, foundation certificates in history and English literature enable students to study part time for two years before joining the BA second year – which many have done, often proceeding to master’s degrees and doctorates.
Fourth, continuing education runs joint courses with Oxford University Press for teachers globally, online and face-to-face, taught around the world and in Oxford.
Enrolments have grown among all categories of continuing education students, up 50% over the past 10 years. Increasing resources go to access and widening participation, with free-of-charge events and activities, automatic fee reductions, and funding for scholarships, bursaries and other support.
Jonathan Michie
Director, continuing education; President, Kellogg College, University of Oxford
• Our schools are facing unprecedented financial difficulties and many are in danger of becoming insolvent; the government cannot recruit enough teachers and many are leaving in droves; rates of mental illness among schoolchildren are soaring, yet the Guardian has devoted the bulk of over a week’s education coverage to criticisms of Oxford and Cambridge. Apparently these two universities are wealthy (gosh, who knew?), don’t admit enough students from deprived and/or ethnic minority backgrounds (quelle surprise!) and do admit some students who behave very badly. There is indeed room for improvement in our elite universities but, compared with the disaster engulfing our schools, this is a trivial issue. Please recover your sense of perspective.
Michael Pyke
Campaign For State Education
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