University here is less about general competency. I have long been jealous of the US education elective system - here you simply pick a subject and you're done. That's you for three years. And the general standard is dropping. Universities here have a vested interest in passing everyone with high grades to increase the prestige of the University and that is at the expense of the quality of the work. We're in a race to the bottom - that's why universities compete not on their academic merit but on the employability of their graduates, a factor more influenced by social capital than academic achievement. You could fall out of a third-tier university with zero insight and get a job with Daddy - that's what I've seen the wealthy kids do. The degree itself adds nothing to their latent lack of ability. Luckily by upping the costs in this country from £1000, to £3500 and then to £9000 a year and letting Universities pay their senior admin staff whatever they want, most will go bankrupt within a decade or so. Intelligent students who have that general competence don't see the benefit. That's market forces.

That said, I think you're right. I think the secondary education is where the fix needs to be in the first instance. :o)