ABSTRACT
The dominant metaphor for the student has lately been that of the consumer. This implies that higher education should be considered in market terms, that lecturers provide products comparable to the pizzas of Pizza Hut or the haircut by the hairdresser. Wieleman indicates that ‘the metaphor of “the free market”, implying competition and the freedom of choice for consumers, has a strong normative impact’ on schools and curricula and that ‘economic considerations in particular are taking the lead, both in policy objectives (such as expenditure cuts and efficiency) and in the concepts adopted (such as management, productivity, etc.)’ (2000: 33). This is not an exclusive development for schools, but can also be observed within higher education institutions.
