Universities WOULD have a good record educating people because they mostly take well-educated, disciplined, & hardworking students - in other words, students who have already learnt to be successful - at least in certain areas.
The hardest work is in Primary education where it is now recognized that much of the foundation for later life is laid. They are bound to attract criticism. Though, I believe, that there are too many factors involved and too many things to do for just one type of institution to shoulder the entire burden. Parenthood, Religion, Government, Commerce & Industry, Citizens Action Groups, Seniors Groups, etc should all pitch in to shoulder the responsibility for the all-round growth of every new born right from the moment of birth till the age of 15 or so.
This needs to include giving worthy Primary teachers the same salaries as their colleagues in Universities with the same qualifications. I contend that when a person is shown how and then facilitated to be successful on their own, they would rather not cheat. The requirements are for people who are as skilled as those who are teaching at University.
In fact, teachers at University should ONLY be part-timers who love facilitating young adults so much that they will do it for free. These teachers must necessarily possess expertise and experience in either Research or Application.
Society must instead devote its funds and concentration on a person's life from birth to age 15 or 18. That's it. After that, the person, now a young adult, hopefully having been made strong, courageous, disciplined and wise, can now fend for themselves - first in the academic and then in the professional world.
