“Can N.Z. Afford U.E.?”

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31753, 9 August 1968, Page 1

“Can N.Z. Afford U.E.?”

New Zealand would soon have to consider seriously whether it could afford to provide a university place for every qualified person who wished to enter, particularly when the failure rate was high compared with that in Britain, said Dr F. J. Llewellyn, Vice-Chan-cellor of the University of Exeter and former chairman of the New Zealand University Grants Committee, in Christchurch yesterday afternoon.

Bv failures he meant students who did not graduate, Dr Llewellyn said. Because of rigid selection and competition for entry, this rate in Britain rarely now exceeded 5 per cent At Exeter it was 3 per cent

Dr Llewellyn bad been asked to comment on the latest statement by the Minister of Finance (Mr Muldoon) about the need for more screening. “It depends what a country wants,” said Dr Llewellyn. “New Zealand’s policy has been that all who qualify are entitled to enter a university. The public conclusion seems to be that it is more beneficial for a student to attend even for only one year than not to attend at all. There is something to be said for this.

“But is it possible for New Zealand to go on with relatively easy entry to university when the number of students is rising 'disproportionately to the increase in population?” Dr Llewellyn asked. “This questioi has to be asked, investigated and answered: ‘What proportion of the gross national product can reasonably be made available for university education?’ “I am quite certain Britain

could not afford New Zealand’s present provision," Dr Llewellyn said. “The cost of each student to the British taxpayer is higher £7OO ($1500) for an arts student to £2200 ($4700) for engineering or medicine, compared with $6OO to $7OO in New Zealand. “However, for a New Zealand student, failure Is part of his expectation. Most will fail something at some stage. The British student is selected in expectation of success. You build something into his psyche, if you like,” said Dr Llewellyn, Whatever was done in New Zealand, it should be done slowly and deliberately. He had given warning of the new situation in his last U.G.C. report to Parliament in 1966. It would take several years to decide what to do and, -if any significant change was made in entrance requirements, this also would take several years. In the meantime the problem Mr Muldoon posed was upon the country, said Dr Llewellyn. (Mr Muldoon, back page.)