Extract from a debate
Michele: Let us leave topic of whether the "so called rich" are more likely to go abroad, I'll come back to this point later. Let's consider your proposal and admit the ones most likely to succeed, (which is basically the German model, and also Ironic, because this model works in Germany precisely because the as a Social Democracy, Germany has achieved "the happy average) I am telling you, if this model is followed in South African context you, will be condemning millions of poor South Africans the opportunity of social mobility, for this very reason alone, unequal technological access...Consider the scenario of reading three chapters for the test next week:
Rich kids: Get picked up in a car, drove home, tell maid to make tea, take out the iPad, or Kindle Fire HD, download the entire book, (under 1 minutes using Fibre optic) drinks his tea, and put on the headphone, text to speech will read the entire 3 chapters in an hour, and he can repeat the process as much as he wants...(All these without even taking private tutors or extra classes into account)
In contrast, the poor kid walks to train station (or bus) goes to the library, takes out the books, comes home, cooks meal for himself/herself/siblings by the time he or she barely begins to read the first sentence of chapter one, the poor kid already spent 50% of his or her energy or concentration, you tell me, which is more LIKELY to succeed?
UCT has a very high attrition rate because it is following the British model, i.e. relatively low admission requirement with high attrition ratio, where as in German model. it's the opposite, high admission requirement with low attrition ratio.
Furthermore, I'd like to remind you, if even 1 in 100 students from low income background succeeded in becoming a Judge, that one judge become instant role model for the rest to follow, the social benefit of the role model cannot be overlooked.
What about those who fail to succeed? Well, failed doctors can be nurses, failed lawyers paralegals, failed engineering math teachers. Those who can, do, those who can't teach, no? What's important is that even though they failed to graduate, the skill they take with them allows them to get a certificate and occupy a position in the lower middle class.
As for my contention that the wealthy are more likely to afford to immigrate, i speak from experience, did it twice in my life time, it cost $500,000 to immigrate from Taiwan to South Africa, and R1.2 million from South Africa to USA. And it did not matter how likely I was to succeed, once immigrated, I am of no use to South Africa or Taiwan.
Rich kids: Get picked up in a car, drove home, tell maid to make tea, take out the iPad, or Kindle Fire HD, download the entire book, (under 1 minutes using Fibre optic) drinks his tea, and put on the headphone, text to speech will read the entire 3 chapters in an hour, and he can repeat the process as much as he wants...(All these without even taking private tutors or extra classes into account)
In contrast, the poor kid walks to train station (or bus) goes to the library, takes out the books, comes home, cooks meal for himself/herself/siblings by the time he or she barely begins to read the first sentence of chapter one, the poor kid already spent 50% of his or her energy or concentration, you tell me, which is more LIKELY to succeed?
UCT has a very high attrition rate because it is following the British model, i.e. relatively low admission requirement with high attrition ratio, where as in German model. it's the opposite, high admission requirement with low attrition ratio.
Furthermore, I'd like to remind you, if even 1 in 100 students from low income background succeeded in becoming a Judge, that one judge become instant role model for the rest to follow, the social benefit of the role model cannot be overlooked.
What about those who fail to succeed? Well, failed doctors can be nurses, failed lawyers paralegals, failed engineering math teachers. Those who can, do, those who can't teach, no? What's important is that even though they failed to graduate, the skill they take with them allows them to get a certificate and occupy a position in the lower middle class.
As for my contention that the wealthy are more likely to afford to immigrate, i speak from experience, did it twice in my life time, it cost $500,000 to immigrate from Taiwan to South Africa, and R1.2 million from South Africa to USA. And it did not matter how likely I was to succeed, once immigrated, I am of no use to South Africa or Taiwan.
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