I said we have overvalued the certifications/diplomas, not that they don't have value. I also never implied that schools were meant to be perfect.
My point is that we have zeroed in on the certification/diploma too much and have begun (until recently) paying too much attention to whether the cert has been attained as opposed to what it is supposed to represent. The reason why I believe this happened is because it is much easier to quantify a diploma or any other certification, "Oh you graduated! That must mean X." It is harder to ascertain whether or not a person who gained a diploma or cert actually deserves it or learned anything in the process.
> I also never implied that schools were meant to be perfect.
Yeah, you're right, sorry.
> we have zeroed in on the certification/diploma too much and have begun (until recently) paying too much attention to whether the cert has been attained as opposed to what it is supposed to represent
I can only speak for myself. For me this story is not just about the value of the piece of paper. It's the down-the-road effects that I find interesting. You may feel the plight of China or Chinese students does not affect you. I consider them part of my community. I live in Taiwan, which, while a separate country from China, often gets lumped together with China. I think many people could make a case for how this issue affects them, whether in school or the workplace, beyond just the value of their degree. When this happens at all schools, it becomes the value of our educational system.
> The reason why I believe this happened is because it is much easier to quantify a diploma or any other certification, "Oh you graduated! That must mean X."
My point is that we have zeroed in on the certification/diploma too much and have begun (until recently) paying too much attention to whether the cert has been attained as opposed to what it is supposed to represent. The reason why I believe this happened is because it is much easier to quantify a diploma or any other certification, "Oh you graduated! That must mean X." It is harder to ascertain whether or not a person who gained a diploma or cert actually deserves it or learned anything in the process.