C. Consequences of reactive reformation on higher education
In conclusion the basic consequences of reformation of Higher Education are the following:
- Annulment of Public and Free character of Universities. Having as obstacles under-financing and evaluation, Universities are pressed to function under business criteria and convert to a sort of profiteering enterprise, asphyxiatingly dependent on profits of their financiers (monopolies, state, and its organisms) which ought to function “competitively’’, in a unified European “market’’ of Higher education. This development is accompanied by the legalisation of private universities.
- Entire retraction of any social assignment of science, with a serious effect on the development of sciences, on their content, on the relationship of basic and applied research. Strengthening of control of imperialistic organs in relation to priorities and orientations of university research through the linkage of universities and “complete’’ schedules of education and research concluding to the commitment of scientific-searching activity in foreign directions with needs of development of productive forces of our country.
- Confirmedness of gathering science and scientific potential in high universities of powerful imperialistic countries, for the amplification of a monopolistic control of knowledge. So, there is an increase of inequality of apportionment of science in universities of several countries, in the limits of which Greek universities take the role of a “poor relative’’, for supplementary research. Simultaneously, phenomenon of straining our country from its best scientific talents is heightened. Stratification of university institutions, schools and departments is reproducing, under climax in the interior of our country, even inside institutions by reforming didactic staff and flexible graduates.
- Debasement of undergraduate cycle of studies by transferring the scientific specialisation to the graduate level. Undergraduate studies, when not being restrained just in the role of reservoir of unemployed, orientate to a fast and massive allowance of practical and direct expendable professional skills, comfortable and profiteering for the “market’’. Debasement of the basis of University Education, of undergraduate studies, implies its general debasement.
- General debasement of our educational system as a consequence of debasement of University Education, by which the total of Education is supplied, in content and in living potential, as well.
- Disconnection of studies and their titles by the professional ability and so, removal of social right of employment of graduates who will be judged on a personal basis depending on their supposedly “substantial skills’’. Reduction of the price of scientific labor, abolition of vested labor interests and, in general, amplification of usage and worsening of working conditions and the lives of tomorrow’s graduates.
- Tense in class barriers and reduction of access to University Education at 15%-30% of today’s students, since accession is transposed to graduate level and becomes “quadric’’, after serious selection procedures and tuition fees. General amplification of media of class selection through successive filters (that are going to be expanded) and through multi-categorisation of institutions, departments and studies.
- Amplification of ideological domination of civil class in Universities, and even of their role in its reproduction. Input of a new model of function of Universities is accompanied by the strengthening of civil ideology, especially of new positivistic-pragmatic theories and agnosticism.
- Abolition of democratic freedom, free scientific creativity and thought –which is the destroyer of the development of science – and amplification of autarchy. In these limits, declarations about self-existence of Universities from the embrace of state, are total hypocrisy. Neither democracy is expanded nor civil state becomes less. On the contrary, state’s responsibilities are transposed to Universities and media of control and imposing needs of capitalism, are amplified.
- In the long run, policy of breaking into pieces and the segmental, personal composition of studies, will have negative consequences on collective attitude towards problems in students’ syndicalism and in workers’ syndicalism thereafter.
e-mail:cpg@int.kke.gr