Study Shows Drastic Decrease in the Teaching Of Languages and Sciences
A recent study performed by the University and College Union (UCU) has demonstrated a drastic dip in the provision of language and sciences courses at universities throughout the United Kingdom. The study, published this past week, was conducted over the last two years to provide a comparison of the decreased courses in languages, physics, chemistry, and other courses of value to university graduates.
Science courses at UK universities have dipped at various levels over the last two years, with many universities turning away from more elaborate courses in favour of introductory ones. Chemistry courses, according to the study, were the most severely cut back over the last two years with 31 percent fewer offerings in 2006 as in 2005. Physics courses, which form the backbone of knowledge for a variety of important industrial jobs, have decreased 14 percent in the same span. Math courses have also decreased 8 percent, due to the difficulty of teaching such courses and a dearth of math teachers. An aberration in the study’s results came with the increase in biological science courses 9 percents over the two year study period.
However, the starkest decrease may be found in the cutbacks of courses provided to university students interested in languages. German departments throughout the United Kingdom have offered 25 percent fewer courses over the last two years. French courses have decreased 25 percent over the same span, which means that two of the continent’s important languages have been denied to thousands of students.
Two reasons were given for the decrease in courses in the UCU report, with both of them acting in concert to create a deficit in vital coursework for university students. The first reason cited is the decreasing pool of qualified science, math, and languages teachers emerging from universities around the United Kingdom. The demand for strong teachers in these courses is not being met by the university system, creating a vicious feedback loop.
As well, the British Parliament and university leaders alike have shown a decreased interest in languages through their policies. The Parliament in particular has aided the decreased interest and concern for languages by lowering the mandatory age for compulsory language education to 14. There is an effort by organisations like the Higher Education Funding Council, which has invested 235 million pounds to the issue, to encourage an improved attitude towards these courses in the future. Still, the decrease in languages and science throughout England and Northern Ireland are disconcerting to educational experts.