There was a time when universities discouraged learners from taking up more than a course at a time, but now many institutions allow multiple courses simultaneously. This will put students at a greater advantage. But there is a question of quality being threatened.  

·         How good is it for students, and see how this change is going to influence the quality of education?

Much water has flowed down the bridge of ‘a course at a time’ era, and now it is many courses simultaneously, or the time of meta-schooling has come. Obviously, students stand to gain, but the quality of such qualifications may suffer. 

At the very outset it is right to say that students’ multi-faceted interests can find expression, if meta-schooling is promoted. This is highly advantageous in the sense that, at a time when it seems to be very difficult to do with a particular skill or qualification, it is a blessing to have multiple qualifications. Secondly, in an age when time is getting converted into more money every passing day, multiple qualifications at a time may make many students don man skills in the shortest possible time. These skills are going to be appreciated by an opportunity-rich world of globalization.

However, meta-schooling leaves a little room for concern in terms of quality. As a matter of fact, universities in the past had genuine reasons not to allow students take up many courses at a time. The primary concern was quality. That concern is relevant now as well. For example, when students are given freedom to do so, they may not stick to the quality standards set by the university. This may be true with regard to universities as well because some profit-driven institutions may resort to offering courses of no use or of poor quality, and make money out of it. At the end of the day, it is the quality of education that is going to take the beating.  

In short, letting students do more than a course at a time is advantageous only if it is implemented selectively. Since quality of education is much more important than number of qualifications, universities should dread cautiously when they roll out red carpet for meta-schooling.

Jaypeesdoc

280 words

3.3.13