Diploma vs competence

Blind worship of diplomas nowadays is as stupid as general phobia against intellectuals in the decades before 1978.

A decree issued by the Chongqing municipality bureau of human resources and social security is exactly the reflection of such stupidity. It requires that all its civil servants under the age of 35 by the year 2012 possess at least an associate degree by that year. Failure to do so would cost them their jobs. The decree also says that the municipal government will pay the tuition for civil servants willing to earn a diploma in their spare time.

The policy's first blunder is equating a diploma with work competence. A diploma is a credential. More education may increase a person's knowledge in a particular field, but that does not necessarily elevate his or her competence in doing a particular job.