Summary A generation of boys is turning its back on university due to high tuition fee.
LONDON: Final figures for this year’s university intake, published by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), show a 54,000 slump - 13 per cent down on the previous year (higher than earlier predictions)..
A breakdown showed that the gender gap in entrants had reached an all-time high with the fall in the entry rate being four times higher for men than women.
Overall, it has meant that 18-year-old women straight out of school are 34 per cent more likely to apply to go on to higher education than men. The difference in application rates is 10.1 percentage points with 40.1 per cent of women applying compared to just 30 per cent of men.
Today’s report shows for the first time that women are more likely to enter higher education than men are to apply.
Mary Curnock Cook, chief executive of UCAS, described the figures as “a striking and worrying finding”, adding: “Young women are now a third more likely to enter higher education than men, a difference that has increased this cycle.”
Dr Mark Corver, head of analysis and research at UCAS, cited the fact that girls had higher qualifications than boys on leaving school as a contributory factor.
However, other sources suggested that - in the wake of the tuition fees rise - some boys could be more likely to seek apprenticeships or immediate employment to avoid plunging into debt.
Introducing the report, Dr Corver said: “Demand for higher education has been weak in 2012. We’ve seen this weakness in applications and we’ve seen this weakness in acceptances - that’s also down.”
The figures show the biggest slump in entries was amongst universities in England - which charge higher fees - where the numbers fell by 51,200 (13per cent). Welsh universities also saw a fall by 3,000 (12 per cent).
Earlier predictions of the fall in numbers - based on this September’s intake - suggested a lower drop. However, the new figures, which cover entries throughout the year, show the fall-out has “more or less doubled”, said Dr Corver.
The figures also surprisingly show a slight drop in the percentage of students with three straight A-grades at A-level gaining access to university - in spite of government attempts to encourage universities to offer more places to those with A.A, B passes and above.
Higher education experts predicted this was due to students who were refused their first choice university - i.e Oxford or Cambridge - ruling out apply to what they considered a less prestigious university in view of the fees. They may, instead, try again next year, it was thought.
Islamic Calligraphy & Culture Fashion Show in Punjab University
Thursday, December 13, 2012, 7:49News, Punjab University, UniversityAdd a comment
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Lahore, College or Arts, Punjab University organized a fashion show based on the Islamic art of calligraphy and Islamic History which is now entered in fourth day. They also arranged a conference under the title of “Sareer Khama” in which scholars and calligraphists of various countries including Middle East, Iran, Turkey and Pakistan presented their thesis on Islamic art of calligraphy and Islamic History. Following by the fashion show of the boy and girl students based on the
Islamic calligraphy and Islamic History which a large number of people liked very much and they also appreciated it.
The Principal, College of Arts and Culture Prof Dr Rahat Naveed Masood, scholars and calligraphists from Iran, Turkey, Middle East and Pakistan, faculty members of the college, students and a large number of art lovers attended this fashion show. The main objective for the organization of this fashion show is to give information and details about the history and the working of our ancestors. This fashion show has also highlighted the splendid past and the cultures and history of our great Muslim scholars and calligraphists.
