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Queen Michelle Bachelet is back, but that was the easy bit, says The Economist
Michelle Bachelet became the first person since General Carlos Ibañez in 1952 to return to Chile’s presidential palace, La Moneda, for a second term. According to a recent official history of the building, the general was a stickler for fitness. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesTWIMC
Mar 15th, 2014 - 12:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0This typical “Trash Journalism” article from the ”The Economist” starts by strongly disrespecting the democratically elected president of Chile and continues, all the way to the end, trashing the political democratic coalition that has, in a very becoming way, governed Chile for 20 of the last 24 years…:
”Queen Michelle”… they call Mami!
”Ms Bachelet is likely to spare her aides the spectacle of find her hanging from the wrought-iron bars on her office window, performing pull-ups and wearing only her underpants.”… Etc………, etc……, etc…
I wonder… Is it ”The Economist”…or ”The Ideologist”?
In fact, it's a pretty fair comment on the “God-complex” that seems to afflict most latam “senior” politicians. Don't see much democracy in argieland, bolivia, ecuador, nicaragua, peru, uruguay and venezuela.
Mar 15th, 2014 - 01:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The past Bachelet admin had ministers resigning over embarrassing issues as well. So did Piñera's... Big deal.
Mar 15th, 2014 - 05:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0She's the godmother of one of our submarines and she's shown to be friendly to supporting our military. (Although she will obviously reduce the defense budget.)
I worry about the social and economic reforms that my prove to be too aggressive, but frankly, there will be only a minor change overall. The educational reforms she's proposed will take a minimum of 4 years to implement. The ones that will be really be unhappy, will be the communists and the Christian Democrats as she'll ignore most of their proposals just like she did in her first administration. Meanwhile the UDI and the RN are a disaster with lots of infighting. How embarrassing! Especially since I belong to the RN...
Nothing new here whichever democratic government you pick to compare it to Chile.
Mar 15th, 2014 - 06:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It was always thus and will remain so, seemingly forever.
I have to say that in a way, it sounds encouraging that government ministers feel compelled to resign when their ethics are revealed to be questionable or compromised.
Mar 15th, 2014 - 07:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Would that happen in some of the other “democracies” like Venezuela or Argentina??
Or would questioning and criticising gov't ministers just be denounced as. “unpatriotic”?
I think this article highlighted how strong democracy is in Chile.
Mar 15th, 2014 - 11:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The fact that these people resigned so quickly and easily and there were no youth organisations organising protests nor attempts to muzzle the media is a great sign for the maturity of Chilean democracy.
Chile has real growth with low inflation and a government that wants to reform. What more could you ask for the next 4 years.
I predict that Chile will pull even further ahead of all other LatAm countries.
There is huge support in the UK for Chile. Also serious interest in Colombia as it emerges from the darkness of previous years.
Mar 16th, 2014 - 02:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0She is a socialist and once you a socialist you tent to destroy the economy take a look at the idiot from Brazil she was handed out a country with no deficit and progressing economically, but she decided to go on a massive social program and starting controlling prices to buy votes just like all corrupt socialist and phony as they are.
Mar 16th, 2014 - 11:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0Bachelet will take Chile to the ground if she gets an opportunity just like the idiot from Brazil, this people never learn that some people cannot be help we have to give them the right to be poor.
The state should only provide health education and even the Plainfield for everybody.
No assistance to large family no cash no home assistance nothing that’s is the only way these bastard will go to work and stop making babies, the church should take care of them since they are the ones to encourage such stupidity .
I normally don't comment on Turnipy Turnip's comments but.....
Mar 16th, 2014 - 12:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The comment from Turnip at (8) is too good to let it pass uncommented...
He says...:
“She is a socialist and once you a socialist you tent to destroy the economy take a look at the president from Brazil she was handed out a country with no deficit and progressing economically....”
I wonder....:
Does this ignorant Anglo Turnip know who was the two terms President that handed President Dilma “a Country with no deficit and progressing economically”?
Do the ignorant Anglo Turnips that comment in here about South America know anything at all about South America?
The day they learn, they stop being funny...
Mar 16th, 2014 - 12:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Some commentators on here have spent more time living in MORE Latin American countries than you have visited.
Mar 16th, 2014 - 03:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Some commentators on here have degrees and postgraduate qualifications from prestigious UK and Latin American Universities in subject s including the politics, history and economics of Latin America.
Some commentators on here have both family and businesses in Lat. Am.
So, some commentators on here do know a little bit about the topics raised. ..
... just sayin'...
@9 of course i know you idiot but Lula knew what he was doing. He learn that going the socialist way was a mistake the only way was to grow the economy he did take advise from people who knew how to implement economic policy know Lula was from the worker party but did more thinks the capitalist way and investment grew and millions of Brazilians got out of poverty.
Mar 16th, 2014 - 04:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Your socialist hopeless mind thinks the government should nanny all of you.
@ 9 The Lunatic from CVhew Butt & “Free energy” Stevie
Mar 16th, 2014 - 05:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Of course we know!
Lula, the biggest crook of them all and now he has immunity from prosecution, great heh?
Stevie: anybody on here has a LONG way to go to be as amusing as you. Notice I did not say funny: funny you are not, imbecile, yes.
When you come back to Uruguay (if your wife will let you) only THEN can you start parroting “we” and “us”.
Turnip at (11) says...:
Mar 16th, 2014 - 05:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Some commentators on here do know a little bit about the topics raised.”
I say...:
I'm quite convinced that some Anglo commentators at MercoPress do know “A Little Bit” about the topics raised in here...
They have however not yet participated on this particular thread...
Until now... Anglo Turnips all the way my eyes can see...
However, this doesnt seem to be the case in this thread
“Some commentators on here do know a little bit about the topics raised.”
Mar 16th, 2014 - 05:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0He must be talking about us, Think, because that lot surely knows nothing...
I think Bachelet is going to do a great job if she can keep her heterogeneous coalition in line.
Mar 16th, 2014 - 10:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I am all for reform and she seems to want to lead a reformist government. It won't change the path that Chile has chosen up till now but it could improve.
And anything her centre-left coalition stuffs up can be fixed by the next centre-right government.
We all know she will do a great job, Anglolatino, don't you worry about that... ;)
Mar 16th, 2014 - 11:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Seven strong tremors in the north today, one of which was 6.7M and only 20km deep - welcome back Mami.
Mar 17th, 2014 - 01:30 am - Link - Report abuse 0Haha it's Chile Stevie, of course I'm not worried.
Mar 17th, 2014 - 04:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0@16 you mean Camila the communist who wants masive aid to the“PEOPLE”.
Mar 17th, 2014 - 09:50 am - Link - Report abuse 0Yes, there are people who might comment on post-Cardoso socialism and its impact on Brasil and on Mercosur. But to compare and contrast this with Chilean history requires a knowledge of recent Chilean political history and contemporary Chile ... beyond me, I'm afraid.
Mar 17th, 2014 - 10:05 am - Link - Report abuse 0I just know there is 'no such thing as a free meal' - somebody has to pay for free school and university education, and that is the 'middle-classes' (to whom the explanation of greatly increased taxes to pay for it has not been made during the run-up to Bachelet's election because it would break her coalition before it started!).
It seems to me that the intention is to get rid of ALL private education in Chile - which would, of course, curtail international inward investment, and eventually position Chile well below Brasil ... and even Argentina!
It is worth considering that outside of a few very good universities in Chile, the remaining establishments are terrible and charge huge fees. There is no central standard of education so many families will incur considerable debt to put their children through university and they still come out pretty much unemployable. At least, not at the level they had hoped.
Mar 17th, 2014 - 01:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0This is also true at high school level. The very rich pay for their children to attend the good schools. The aspirational classes pay to get their children into fee-paying schools that are often very poorly run. It is an inequality Bachelet wants to address because it perpetuates the inequality in society.
I am all for improving standards and if Bachelet does not achieve free university education for all (something we have discussed at length here) she might at least force the really bad establishments to improve their quality.
@18 There are always some tremors whenever I am here (earthquakes, obviously) but there have been a couple over 5 since I arrived and very close to my locations. There has just been a 4.4 reported in L.A. so I guess it is very active at the moment.
@ Elaine,
Mar 17th, 2014 - 03:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There are a couple of points there I don't fully agree with. Amongst the “remaining establishments” there are very good technical institutes, like INACAP, that are much less expensive than the universities.
As I was explaining to Axel on another thread, there are scholarships for students who get good results in the PSU but whose families can't afford the tuition.
So if you have the brains you get to the good unis anyway and if you haven't you can choose a technical career at less expense. I don't have any major problems with the way it works on that side of things. If the state wants to spend more, they should spend more on scholarships.
The big gap we have with the developed world is in the amount of quality research done in the unis (not the quality of graduates) and this is where I would like to see more thinking done.
An interesting fact: there is a public school in Stgo that routinely beats the most expensive private schools in the annual PSU results and has produced no fewer that 17 presidents of the republic, the most recent being Ricardo Lagos.
I would be interested to hear if there are any such prolific state schools in England, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Urumark or Denaguay.
Tremors:
At least we can say the universities produce good enough engineers to provide the best anti-seismic construction in the world. Yesterday's 6.7 near Iquique would have caused a lot of death in a neighbouring country or even a much more developed country.
(23) Condorito
Mar 17th, 2014 - 05:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You say...:
“There is a public school in Santiago that routinely beats the most expensive private schools in the annual PSU results and has produced no fewer that 17 presidents of the republic, the most recent being Ricardo Lagos.
I would be interested to hear if there are any such prolific state schools in England, Argentina.....”
I say...:
”There is a little public school in Buenos Aires, originally founded in 1661, that always beats any other school in Argentina and that has produced a couple of Nobel Laureates, a bunch of Founding Fathers, 4 Presidents and a lot of other “Thinking Ex-Alumni”…………..;-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colegio_Nacional_de_Buenos_Aires
PS...:
In contraposition to the Shilean Instituto Nacional, the Argentinean Colegio Nacional has, since 1957, been open to “*”ALL“*” citizens, “*”EVEN“*” members of the fairer sex….;-)
@ 24 Think
Mar 17th, 2014 - 05:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Very interesting.
PS:
I note that since 1957 the school has produced no presidents or Nobel Laureates. A consequence of co-education or coincidence?
(25) Condorito
Mar 17th, 2014 - 06:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Pure coincidence, I would say...
The meritocratic principles of the “Nacional” don't include “Good Looks” as a criterium for female applicants...
And it shows!
Anyhow...
I “Think” that, if even the most Momio of all Shilean institutions, (The Navy) has open its gates for women, it is time for the “Instituto” to do so too...
Aren't they any “Chancletas” in that horde of kids of yours?
Don't they deserve “equal oportunity”?
@ Think
Mar 17th, 2014 - 07:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Forcing co-ed status on a school is not the same as creating equal opportunities IMHO. In the Coquimbo region some very good traditional single sex schools have become mediocre since going co-ed.
One word.......: Momio.
Mar 17th, 2014 - 07:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Lamenting the decline of low cost, high quality education is a “momio” trait?
Mar 17th, 2014 - 08:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Interesting.
Nope...., but segregating 50% of the merited candidates from low cost, high quality education just because they happen to have a Bush instead of a Dick between their legs is a very typical Momio trait indeed...
Mar 17th, 2014 - 09:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I like you, you old social democrat :)
Mar 17th, 2014 - 10:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Luckily, you are of the old school, but your chest must be aching from what is being done in the name of social democracy in certain parts of Europe...
Condorito and Think
Mar 18th, 2014 - 01:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0Your wine suggestions from an earlier post are very intriguing, but no one seems to know where they can be purchased here in the RM. It's doubtful the Patagonian bottle is even imported. ...sigh...
#8
I completely agree with THINK, which is is surprising as I'm on the other side of the political spectrum. I think you are an arse.
I attended a conference in the early 80's where Hernán Büchi emphasized that one of our military strategic threats was that our general conscripts did not have access to adequate education. How did we expect them to operate advanced computerized weapons systems without a basic understanding of technical aspects?
Geoff
The intention of Bachelet is NOT to eliminate private education, but instead to t strengthen the public system and make both public and private education more financially accessible.
Elaine
...“few very good universities in Chile, the remaining establishments are terrible” With all due respect, that's just not true. The reason why many university graduates are unemployed is because we have just too many journalism, design, philosophy, music, theater, publicity, fashion, etc... study majors for the jobs available. There ARE some substandard universities here, but MOST are very good to excellent, backed by international accreditation. I would suggest you Google “QS Latin America University rankings.”
Finally...
Of course our Naval Academy is progressive and has successively integrated the fair sex, but I would also point out the unfair treatment of the ladies not being required to run through a cold water shower tunnel at 06:15 hours in their underwear as their opposite sex cadets are required to do.
@32 Chicureo
Mar 18th, 2014 - 12:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You couldn't find either bottle or just Think's Patagonian bottle?
Unimarc stock both Dalbosco and Falernia here in la 4ta Región.
Falernia uses the name Antakari for export, so it may appear in Santiago supermarkets with that name.
@32 Yes, I could and should have worded my comment better. Parents are paying huge prices to put their children through colleges believing it will ensure a job and a better life at the end of it. The system fails because there is no government standard. Each municipality controls the schools and one area I visited recently does not have one single academic on the education board.
Mar 18th, 2014 - 12:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Chilean universities are better than most in South America but the point I should have articulated better was that a lot of parents are being duped and saddled with debt without really achieving a better opportunity for their children.
Please respond. :)
#32
Mar 18th, 2014 - 05:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If you remember 'the students' campaign', you will remember that its main theme was to ELIMINATE private education.
I'm glad that you confirm that Bachelet is fighting against this campaign which is promoted and underpinned by The Communist Party.
Eventually she may well join the Pragmatic Right.
(25) Condorito
Mar 18th, 2014 - 06:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Further on your...:
”I note that since 1957 the school (Nacional Buenos Aires) has produced no Presidents or Nobel Laureates.“
......Just checked and I'm happy to say that young Axel Kicillof, currently Economy Minister of Argentina is also an Ex-Alumnus from the ”Nacional“....
If he continues the great work he has been doing since october, he may very well be ”Presidenciable”
Every day that passes, I like that boy a bit more....:-)
Condorito,
Mar 18th, 2014 - 06:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Neither...
Viña Falernia I know as I used to fly into the small airstrip at the Proens farm located just below Vicuña. The modern winery at the upper part of the reservoir and the vineyards of the owner are easily seen as you drive up the valley just before arriving to Vicuña. I've had their Cab, but never paid a lot of attention to them. I typically shop at the Jumbo and occasionally at the Lider, but this time I'll go hunting at Unimarc. Thanks
Elaine,
I did some reading of the CIA fact book, UNESCO, Wiki, etc...regarding Chile vs. Argentina education. In University rankings of the top 100 schools, Argentina with 42m inhabitants, has14, Chile with 17m has 16. Argentina on the whole has superior public schools that are adequately funded. They also have some superb private schools that rival Chile's, including their British and German schools.
Argentina's army and naval schools have alarmingly declined since Menem including due to funding as well as unpopularity.
Percentage of students enrolled in tertiary education: USA 72%, UK 59%, Argentina 48%, Cuba 24% and Chile 37%. 2012 GDP per person per the World Bank: Argentina $11.573 vs. Chile $15.452.
Clearly Chile recognizes and will improve its education.. We do already have standards and evaluation tests to regulate education, such as the SIMCE. A significant amount more is desperately needed.
I read you posts generally in agreement and I enjoy your perspectives, but posts about Chile being the “unequalest” country in term of incomes, and “it's considered like one of the worst of the world...” is ridiculous. Countries like North Korea, Bangladesh, Iraq, Zimbabwe, Somalia and Haiti all have better GINI coefficients...
Speaking about education...
Mar 18th, 2014 - 07:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Huevo es con hache...
Así como Prohens....
;-)))
@ 36 Think
Mar 18th, 2014 - 07:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Based on previous occupiers of the position, I hope for his sake he is not “Presidenciable”.
@ Chicureo
The reservoir is now so empty you will soon be able to drive up the old valley road :(
THINK
Mar 18th, 2014 - 08:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Mira weon, hice una wevada pero weon es con “w” no con “h”como en huevón...
I stand corrected as the noble name is indeed with an “H”...
Condorito
And what I understand Ovalle is even worse.
@37 ”but posts about Chile being the “unequalest” country in term of incomes, and “it's considered like one of the worst of the world...”
Mar 18th, 2014 - 10:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Where did I say that? I generally don't use the word 'like' in that fashion.
South America as a whole has a poorer distribution of wealth than Africa. That does not mean it is poorer than Africa but that extreme wealth is held by few. In respect of Chile you are surely aware of how much money is held by the few.
If we are talking about Chile, as opposed to Argentine, we are looking at a country likely to be the first developed country in South America. To achieve that one of the areas that needs to be addressed in the education system. It is unequal and deteriorates away from the central region. There are many, many very small poor schools that are not giving pupils the tools to achieve their potential. That it is being discussed and solutions sought is a good step forward. I have met with people working on the solutions.
There are good schools and universities in Chile, no one is disputing that, but there are also schools taking a lot of money from the aspirational middle classes and not delivering. Some people are getting very rich off the backs of parents hard work and hopes of a better life for their children. It does need to be addressed. I would expect Bachelet to make some effort to do so.
The whole state vs private schools is debatable and does create a privileged class. However, one could also argue that people should be free to pay for private education if they choose to do so, just as they choose to spend their money on luxury cars and exotic holidays - that isn't fair either. What is simply wrong is to tap into the aspirational classes by offering fee paying schools that are just not satisfactory.
A well educated population is key to development. That is my point.
Elaine,
Mar 18th, 2014 - 11:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You make some very valid points and you are very accurate about the serious problems we face as a nation. I apologize for giving the impression that you were the author of the last part of my earlier post.
However, you just stated that “...South America as a whole has a poorer distribution of wealth than Africa...” Mark Twain, the famous 19th century author was once quoted that “there are three types of lies: lies, damn lies and statistics...”
I'll continue with some observations after dinner, which is obligatory at the dining table in this home. Or “She who must be obeyed” shall be quite cross.
With respect,
@42 LOL, enjoying the debate. And, quite so, where else would one eat dinner? :)
Mar 19th, 2014 - 11:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0Elaine
Mar 19th, 2014 - 02:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Dining at my family table is a privilege. Many meals of my life have been on ships, restaurants, and lately trays.
I know you're well travelled, especially in South America, but honestly, consider that earlier quote “...lies, damn lies and statistics...” In my opinion, you've been very misled by nonsense from the left about income inequality quantified by the GINI Coefficent.
“South America as a whole has a poorer distribution of wealth than Africa. does not mean it is poorer than Africa but that extreme wealth is held by few...”
I would agree that you could make the generalization that Argentina and Uruguay have less inequality than Chile, refer to the map below. But, Peru, Bolivia...the rest? Now look at the map showing Africa and the Americas? Can you keep a straight face about the countries in Africa vs. the USA, or for that matter Canada??? How can it be that Egypt has a lower inequality than the USA?
Margret Thatcher saw through this horse manure years ago in a parliamentary debate that sums it up very well. http://youtu.be/pdR7WW3XR9c
GINI map of the world. (Mind you there are several with different results but, here's one from 2014:) http://youtu.be/pdR7WW3XR9c
“There are schools taking a lot of money from the aspirational middle classes and not delivering.” (Ditto in the USA) Then again, studying journalism at a private university with minimal accreditation is a waste of time and money.
“Some people are getting very rich off the backs of parents hard work and hopes of a better life for their children.”
Yes, in some cases, all true, but there would be much less opportunities if those schools did not exist. Also the tuition is relatively the same in the Universidad of Chile and many of the top private schools. (In general, the infrastructure is better in the private schools.)
We agree about the importance of education, but extreme wealth held by the privileged few is valid in almost all countries.
(40) Chicureo
Mar 19th, 2014 - 05:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You say…:
” Hice una wevada pero weon es con “w” no con “h”como en huevón...”
I say…:
Dos Güea’as…
Güeón es con ”G” no con ”W”; deleznable letra extranjerizante solo utilizable en vocablos Germano-gaelicos como ser ”Wagner”, ”Watt” o ”Whisky”…
Cachái?
Ps:
By the way…
Tricky..., almost dangerous that “Güeon” word…
Specially when used to try to denote a pal, buddy or friend…
The following example could, quite easily be easily misinterpreted…:
“CARABINEROS DE CHILE, UN GÜEÓN EN EL CAMINO”
Couldn’t it?
;-)
A very interesting debate to follow. Thank you both.
Mar 19th, 2014 - 05:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@ 45 Think
Mar 19th, 2014 - 07:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0No, no chance of misinterpretación. You should most definitely use that greeting the next time you are in Chile and encounter an “amigo en tu camino”.
THINK, the most utilized word in Chile: “weon” is far easier to text.
Mar 19th, 2014 - 07:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0ILSEN, the word can mean Idiot and/or Friend... Which is sometimes appropriate for using when addressing THINK... ;)
Comment removed by the editor.
Mar 19th, 2014 - 08:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@49
Mar 19th, 2014 - 08:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Weon, we don't “textea” no more, we “watsapea”.
:-)
Mar 19th, 2014 - 09:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0As some poster said....nothing is for freee, some “weones” (aka middle class) will pay for it.....
Mar 20th, 2014 - 04:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The problem of the bad results of the municipality education is because they have bad control over the teachers (mainly joined to the leftist parties) and the that average of the students economic level is the lower of the Chilean society (with drunken & illiterte parents, bad feeded kids, etc.)...Why is it..??? Because parents taht wants their children well educated take them to subsidied school o just full paid schools from its early grades.....There is a national schecdule for education from the Education Minister wich can´t be reached because the students & teachers strikes along the academic year and at the end the students get the uppr grade without have the correspondent knowlwdge to the previous grades......Private schools don´t do this so who can blame the parents that choose to invest their money that way...???
Bachellet, or the Pigchellet, or the mami, must agreed with her partners the Communist Party to eliminate the private school system to get them into her coalition.....so it´s matter of time only....
Of course the mami´s Gvt. won´t be successful (even a 10 %) compared with the Piñeras because she will be dedicated to deliver money without nothing in exchange from the receivers and the money that missed will be paid by the midclass....via tax increasing...
The only way a country can develop sustainbly is with investiment, reliable policies and enough work for the people (wich won´t need state dependency through asistencials gifts)......Otehr way is to promote looseness within the society (Argentines have a lot of experience about it, dont you think...???....I dare you to ask the middleclass there......).
I agree that we have a problem with the Chilean unis but it´s the unnecessary lenght of the careers that increase the cost and that the way to get a tittle do not consider the make the careers in steps with work experience between middle grades.
Sergio,
Mar 20th, 2014 - 07:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Society in Chile has always placed a high value for education.
Agreed that the strikes caused students in public schools to lose nearly a year in learning.
I asked an academic foundation offering scholarships to universities in Chile why the average degree took five years to achieve. It is three years in the U.K. and four in the U.S. (It is a different process). They were quite emphatic that students in Chile were nowhere near the level of students graduating high school in the U.K. or the U.S. , hence the longer period of five years.
Mar 20th, 2014 - 09:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@54 Elaine
Mar 20th, 2014 - 10:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You could have just asked me ;)
The academic foundation is partially correct.
To be more precise the problem is the greatly varying level of school leavers here. There are many who have the same level as their UK or US pars, but there are many who don't so the first year of university is largely expended levelling the field and getting all the students to the level they should have been at to start with.
You have to add to that the constant interruptions. The politically militant students here frequently go on strike and “take” the universities for political reasons. So you have to factor in many wasted months in the average university career.
The English 'Extended Degree' does the same thing for the same reason - offers a preparatory year..
Mar 21st, 2014 - 10:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0Weak schooling can make a prospective student unready for the First Year of the three year programme. Most students take the three yr option as the extra year costs them real extra money and the added value of a marginally better degree is debatable in the present times.
@55 I should have. : ) I happened to be visiting the foundation so I took the opportunity to quiz them. It was very interesting.
Mar 21st, 2014 - 04:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@56 You make an interesting point regarding the value for money of the additional year. Grades seem less important that something on the C.V. that makes the applicant stand out from the crowd.
#57
Mar 21st, 2014 - 06:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Apparently the thing that stands out most on a UK graduate CV
- and confers the greatest 'employability quotient' -
is the name of a recognizable public school.
[UK Public School = private, fee-paying school]
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