Back to school for older students

Anyone who believes formal education is for the young needs to acquaint themselves with Ministry of Education statistics for mature students.

In 2003, the most recent period for which figures are available on the ministry's website, 183,713 students aged 25-plus were enrolled for formal tertiary study, representing 44 per cent of total enrolments. There were 45,000 more female than male mature students, and 41 per cent of the total were aged 40 or over.

Such a high level of study participation by older students suggests the Government's goal of seeking "to encourage all New Zealanders to adopt learning as a way of life" is having some success.

It's an increasingly meaningful goal in a world in which people are living longer and, in all likelihood, changing careers a number of times.

Desire for a change of job motivated Terry Armstrong, at 51, to enrol for a bachelor of arts at the University of Auckland last year. Armstrong had gone from spending 18 years as a customs officer, to running his own cleaning company, to selling real estate — after leaving school in 1970 vowing never to pick up a book again.

"I got burnt out with real estate. I just began to hate the seven days a week, the long hours and the stress involved," says Armstrong, of Waterview.

He decided he wanted out of sales, but when he looked at his prospects — he has no qualifications — they weren't great.

"I feel as though I still have a lot to offer and really like working so I wanted something that would give me a qualification, and something that would be portable."

Having done sociology, political studies and film, TV and media studies papers in the second semester last year, he enrolled for a second sociology paper at the university's summer school. He thinks he'll major in sociology, after getting an A in the paper he did last year.

But returning to studying isn't a stroll in the park, Armstrong says. "I'm not used to sitting down and reading copious amounts of stuff." His strategy for finding the necessary concentration is to head into the university library, and to read with a marker pen in hand.

Institutions are doing their bit to help students like Armstrong pick up their books again. The University of Auckland, which had just under 12,000 students aged 24 and over in 2003 (more than a third of its total roll), has programmes for people who've had a break from the disciplines of study.

The Tertiary Foundation Certificate is a full-time, one-year arts and science pre-degree programme for people who don't feel ready to go straight into a tertiary course.

The programme teaches four subjects: English and maths, which are compulsory; either history and geography, for intending arts students; or two of biology, chemistry and physics, for those planning a science degree.

New Start, a shorter programme that Armstrong did, has been going for about 30 years. Some of its graduates have gone on to get doctorates.

Programme manager Cath Henderson says it's offered in arts and commerce, the former taught at stage 1 university level and commerce subjects at sixth and seventh form (years 12 and 13) levels. The arts course runs for 11 weeks and commerce, which consists of four modules (two maths levels, accounting and economics), for 12.

"The aim of New Start is to attract people who are under-represented at univerity," says Henderson, "and of course mature students is one of those groups."

About 60 per cent of those who enrol in the programme are 25-plus and a recent graduate was 79.

Apart from its value as an introduction to university-level study, the programme has the added benefit for those who get good grades of assuring them entry to some restricted courses. An overall A for the arts course guarantees entry to part one of the Bachelor of Law degree and a B in two of maths 2, accounting and economics gets them into the bachelor of commerce and bachelor of business and information management courses.

Those resuming study or undertaking it for the first time as a mature student typically don't have motivation problems. But Waikato University Students Association mature students officer David Espin says helping them deal with financial issues — because many have dependents — is a regular call on his time. He might refer them to StudyLink, the Ministry of Social Development's student service, or the university's budgeting service.

Making childcare arrangements is another preoccupation for mature students, Espin says, and is an issue he believes Waikato University doesn't address adequately.

"They have a creche but you have to be rich to put your child into that. They need something like a Barnardos service.

"The creche is long-term; you put your child in there all day, five days a week, whereas most students would like one or two hours' care just when they have classes."

Despite the difficulties, Espin says study as a mature student is popular, across a wide range of courses. At 34, he last year completed a bachelor of social science degree.

"I was unemployed so it was a choice I made to find better employment," Espin says.

"But for many, they might have work but might feel they'll have a better chance of promotion if they have a qualification."

Mature students bring something to the institution that young people, lacking the same life experience, don't, he believes.

"They question a lot more what the lecturers say and if they've been in the workforce they might have real-life experience of what's being talked about that they can bring in."

Alex Bowerman, who at 48 is completing a master of science degree at the University of Auckland, was hesitant to speak up in class to begin with, but as her confidence grew, she found her input was appreciated.

"I was really reluctant at first because older students are in the minority but I found that not only were my comments and opinions welcome but often the younger ones would express agreement with me, which was quite surprising at first."

Bowerman did Auckland's New Start programme five years ago when the youngest of her three children was still at primary school and says the experience of being a mature student has been enriching.

"I think if anyone has just half a wish to try it, it's a really good thing to do. I feel it was something I was meant to do and it's just led me down one path after another."

Where she expects to ultimately end up is working as a health psychologist with people who are chronically sick.