Ruth is (as usual) right, but trust me DeG I have during my last about 10 years lecturing come across far too many who have gained admission to higher or further education who for practical purposes cannot read write add subtract think or use language grammatically.

In most cases this is not because of poor teaching but of excessive class sizes and pressures not to compel children to work - the creation of hiding places and excuses for the feckless by the wifty-wafty.