Why pander to Oxbridge? Make Welsh Universities thier equall

The Wasting Mule reports that "A top UK economist has told young people in Wales’ most deprived communities nothing should stop them from applying for places at the Britain’s top two universities"

The Mule reports that Kevin Gardiner, who was born and brought up in Ely in Cardiff – one of Wales’ worst unemployment blackspots – is among the country’s foremost economic thinkers.

He leads Barclays Bank’s investment strategy, deciding on multi-million pound global deals on a daily basis and influencing policies of decision-makers around the world.

And he now wants young people from Wales with similar backgrounds to his own to aspire to go to Oxford or Cambridge.

Mr Gardiner spent time with pupils at Michaelston Community College, in Ely, as part of the drive by Torfaen MP Mr Murphy  and former Secretary of State for Wales who has been appointed by the Welsh Government as Its Oxbridge Ambassador to inspire Welsh youngsters to go for a place at Oxford or Cambridge.

However the figures from the Mule does tend to point to the difficulties that those who do apply face.

Four of the 10 areas of the UK with the lowest application rates were in Wales, with Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Anglesey and Neath Port Talbot yielding just 28 Oxbridge applications between them.

Meanwhile, Anglesey, Flintshire, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil won just four offers from Oxford and Cambridge for September 2012 entry.

Not good: But lets think about the solution.

Notwithstanding that most of the problem still lies in the fact that the Oxbridge Colleges are elitist in their selection process favouring applicants from the English Public School system .

Shouldn't the Welsh Government be concentrating  building up our Universities here so that they rival Oxford and Cambridge?

Isn't it time we stopped pandering to these Universities who still represent elements of the British class system and start telling our Brightest and Best in Wales that they can gen an equally god education in Aberystwyth, Cardiff ,Swansea or any other Welsh University?

It seems odd that most of our AM seem to have gone to a Welsh University still pander to an outdated forelock tugging inferiority complex  over their University Education here compared to the likes of some Ex Eton Schoolboy who went to Cambridge.

The Answer is to raise standards here; Not accept than Oxbridge position as the top University is set for ever.