Requirements review: Joining uni gets tougher

Getting into university will be more demanding with new admission criteria established by the Ministry of Education. Previously, the requirements for joining a higher education course were lowered in a view of allowing greater access and hence, improve social mobility. With the new criteria, it is feared that many will be left out.

Increasing a country's pool of graduates favors the economic growth rate. So says research undertaken over the years. Productivity also improves through Multifactor Productivity which is a measure of how better management and techniques help a country's growth. Notwithstanding those, by embarking on a policy increasing the number of graduates, the country wanted to tap into what is called “knowledge economy.”

It is believed that by reviewing admission requirements, the government wants to stall the dumbing down that goes along higher access. In a recent communiqué by the Ministry of Education, the new criteria for admission to higher education institution to study for an undergraduate programme, excluding Diploma and Certificate programmes are as follows: 

Either Pass in 

• 3 subjects at A-level and 1 subject at Subsidiary level
• 2 subjects at A-level and 2 subjects at Subsidiary level
• 3 subjects at A-level at the London General Certificate Programmes

Prof Suren Bissoondoyal, Chairman of the Board of the Tertiary Education Commission, claims that our education model should not be solely based on academia. He cites Singapore as an example. “In Mauritius after years of studies, young people are finding it difficult to get a job. The main reason for this is that we focus more on academic fields rather than the technical side. In Singapore, 40% of its students do not sit for HSC exams, they are sent to polytechnics. Only 25% of the students go to universities and the rest join trades. It is easier for these students to find a job. In Mauritius, we are far from this scenario. Our system is to be blamed.”

He explains that if a student cannot compete academically, he must be given a second chance to develop his aptitudes. “The students must be given the opening to see the different opportunities as from Grade 7. As from Grade 9, he decides in which direction he wants to go. In this sense, every student will know what is good for them.”

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mauritius, Prof Dhanjay Jhurry, says the institution has its own admission criteria. “For the current intake, students have already received their admission letters. The criteria set by the Ministry of Education do not really apply to this intake. But still, as from next intake, the new admission requirements will be taken onboard. Our admission procedures are clear and transparent. Each faculty has both general and specific requirements.”

Former Minister of Education and Associate Professor at the University of Mauritius, Dharam Gokhool is in favour of the reviewed entry requirement. For some years now, he says, the academic performance at the University of Mauritius has gone down. “It is worrying to observe the level going down year after year. If we see the world ranking of the UOM, we can see what a bad reference we have become in terms of quality. It was high time for the admission criteria to be reviewed.”

The former Minister further states that we are living in a global world and much emphasis is being put on quality. “If our students are not up to the level, they will never progress and have good career prospects. There is correlation between admission criteria and performance. If the criteria are average, the performance will be average also.”

Nevertheless, the former Minister highlights that there is a contradiction in what the Ministry of Education is doing. “The Ministry is aiming at improving the quality but at the same time, through the PSAC, it is doing the opposite. Both students passing and failing the PSAC will be promoted to GRADE 7. In this sense, there is risk the quality of education gets affected. The Ministry must review everything as from the start.”

Spokesperson from Amity Global Business School, Rakesh Ram, says that in the current system, they consider two A Levels and the applications are processed by the University of Northampton. “The entry requirements vary based on the subject. But as the Ministry of Education has raised the standards, we will be abiding. We understand that this has been done to promote employability of young people.”