Get rid of former student able to read (10)
I believe the answer is:
obliterate
'get rid' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'former student able to read' is the wordplay.
'former student' becomes 'OB' (abbreviation for 'Old Boy').
'able to read' becomes 'literate' (I've seen this in another clue).
'ob'+'literate'='OBLITERATE'
'of' is the link.
(Other definitions for obliterate that I've seen before include "Erase" , "Put an end to" , "Wipe out" , "get rid of" , "Utterly destroy" .)