US Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision a nod to education’s need to evolve with the times
- The US top court’s decision ending affirmative action – amid increasingly vocal opposition and changing public opinion – bans a policy that is credited with making higher education more diverse but is also controversial
University admission policies in the United States have evolved around the policy of affirmative action. Using criteria formulated to promote diversity and reduce discrimination, they give preferential treatment to candidates from disadvantaged groups, ranging from racial and ethnic minorities to women and those from low-income families.
Its roots date back to 1961, when John F. Kennedy established the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity. In the following years, affirmative action became an important constituent of the university admissions process.
The policy of affirmative action is controversial in some circles, and over the years has been the subject of much debate. Including this kind of preferential treatment in addition to examination results and school grades stands in contrast to countries whose university admissions policies are based primarily or entirely on exam results.
More than half are from the mainland and the rest from all around the world. Some local students might see this as a threat while others see it as adding a valuable international dimension, greater diversity and higher overall standards.
The case that led to the Supreme Court striking down affirmative action was brought by Students for Fair Admissions. The advocacy group argues that affirmative action is not fair, necessary or constitutional.
Arguments on the other side of the issue, however, state that affirmative action redresses discrimination that has historically been targeted against minority groups, many of whom end up segregated in the US public school system based on their race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status.
In a survey of 5,000 US adults whose results were released last month, the Pew Research Centre found significant opposition to selective colleges and universities taking prospective students’ racial and ethnic backgrounds into account when making admissions decisions. Half of the respondents disapproved of the policy while 33 per cent approved and 16 per cent were not sure.
The outcome of this latest round of complaints and lawsuits will take time to become clear. One thing that is certain, however, is that the outcome of decisions made in terms of university admissions, whether holistic or based on grades alone, has a significant impact on the subsequent direction of the individual and their value and contribution to society.
The Chinese government clearly understands this and has undertaken comprehensive reform across all levels of education as part of the education modernisation plan that was announced in 2019. Its objective is to promote innovation, creativity, critical thinking and align teaching methodology with technical development.
Education needs to constantly evolve to remain relevant and meet the requirements of today’s rapidly changing world. We need to equip people with the skill sets required to address common challenges we face as global citizens, reduce disparity and provide for all members of society.
Bernard Chan is a Hong Kong businessman and a former Executive Council convenor