Educational Quality, Institutional Accountability and the Retention Discourse

Abstract

Improving retention rates in post‐school education has become a focus for policy‐makers and researchers throughout the western world. Without doubt, any measure that helps students wishing to succeed in higher education is valuable. However, the dominance retention has achieved on a wide variety of educational fronts ranging from policy to pedagogy deserves to be scrutinised. This article questions three assumptions about retention: that government accountability measures can improve the quality of provision and subsequently retention; that institutions, by improving the quality of learning and teaching, can stem early departure; that retaining students in tertiary education is a universally good thing. Using evidence from New Zealand and elsewhere, the article suggests that accountability régimes may not markedly improve retention; institutions may have less influence over whether students leave or stay than assumed; that staying with study may not be good for everyone; and that measures to improve student outcomes may set up a deficit discourse.

Keywords:

• Retention (of students)
• diversity (student)
• educational policy
• accountability
• outcomes of education
• criticism