"Pig ignorant" Education Secretary speaks out again

The Education Secretary, Charles Clarke, has stoked the argument about what universities are for - suggesting that study for its own sake is merely "an adornment to society". He questioned the point in having universities if they were not contributing to the UK's economy - and suggested that purely academic study should get only 1% of the funding it gets now. . .

In a statement in response, Mr Clarke denied being "in any way opposed to medieval studies (or for that matter Latin)". In January, the Education Secretary was accused of "pig ignorance and blind prejudice" after reportedly questioning the value of studying classics at university.

Though Clarke's utilitarian view of university funding may outrage academics, it also points out the dark side of university dependence on government funding. From the BBC.

Posted by David on May 14, 2003 11:38 AM