The UK government has proposed a 2.5 percent pay raise for experienced teachers, the largest claimed sustained pay raise since 2005. However, the seemingly positive move is not receiving hoped appreciation from unions. Unions plan to dismiss the ‘insignificant’ pay raise.
Universities grade-inflation is believed to be threatening the credibility of UK degrees.
Office for Students, England’s higher education watchdog, revealed that 28% students received first-class degrees in year 2018-2019. The number is considered alarming because it threatens to undermine the confidence people, educators and future employers place in the value of a degree.
The figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show, 28% of students received first class degrees, 48% were awarded upper second, 19% candidates managed a lower second and only 4% third class.
Grade-inflation essentially, means that more students are getting first-class degrees with little effort. The general perception would be that if a university is awarding more first-class degrees, the students must be working relentlessly.
Unfortunately, the reality is a bit different. The universities in case of grade-inflation, as the name suggests, deliberately award top degrees to lure more students. However, the number of first-class degrees and degree credibility are indirectly proportioned.
The alarm was caused when the British think-tank Reform in 2018 said, proportion of first-class degrees has doubled from 1997-2009, and increased by 26 percent since 2010, as reported by the BBC.
According to the Reform Report:
The rising number of top-scores is worrisome because it shows how degrees are becoming less competitive. However, the British officials have vowed to make universities tackle the ever-increasing grade-inflation, for their own good. According to the BBC report, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said, “grade inflation was something we had to stop to protect the reputation of the UK’s universities.”
“We will reverse that trend,” he said, “there had to be public confidence in what grades mean”.
Danish government has vowed to retain international students, through all means possible. The decision came after a study revealed, that 42% international students leave Denmark within two years of graduating. It appears that they Danish govt is scrambling to retain foreign students hence, the need for incisive decision making.
Lahore: First time in its history, the Government College University Lahore has offered admissions to students in eleven foreign and national language courses which include Arabic, French, and Russian.
A Bangladeshi school has taken a wonderful, unique initiative in by launching the “two-taka bank.” The bank which was launched in January 2019, has to this day helped 80 school children.
Uncertainty plagues the fate of Erasmus Program for the UK students, as MPs have voted by 344 to 254 against a clause that would have urged the government to negotiate membership of the Erasmus Program after Brexit.
To support the implementation of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Germany’s Development Ministry has decided to fund seven German universities to help the Global South achieve the SDGS, under a program called ‘Exceed.’
A 15 year old boy from Texas,US, has reportedly died due to the effects of vaping, in what is being termed as the youngest vaping-related death in the US.
Professor Dr Atta-ur-Rehman, the former chairman HEC, while receiving People’s Republic of China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award in recognition of contributions along with other experts in Beijing said, Pakistan should send more students to China for learning advance technology.
King’s House School and Nursery, UK has recently announced its decision to open an overseas branch in Pakistan. The Independent school will be based in the diplomatic quarter of Islamabad, and the classes will begin in September 2020.