You're right Max...
There are no failures or great successes in education any more!
Kids get certificates and hard cash just for turning up!!!!! Even college kids get EMA money for turning up when... stop me if I'm wrong... staying on for further education... A levels NVQ's etc... should be a choice not a requirement and therefore they should want and need to attend without a "bribe"... thats how it was in my day!
As Aristotle suggested in society there are gold, silver and bronze children (members of society) Education should fit each... gold should be pushed to attain highly in academic regions... these should be and were modern day Graduates and Post Grads with qualifications from respectable institutes, who study for the pursute and enjoyment of knowledge and continue to do so throughout their lives, Scientists, Designers, Researchers, Lecturers... silver are the academic professionals teachers, doctors, nurses, council workers, managers, retailers... bronze are the skilled workers... construction workers, labourers, shop assistants etc...
Today we have a plethera of pseudo gold and silver and hardly any bronze... the focus has moved from educating the individual to the level that they can attain to forcing each group to strive to become a gold or silver mamber of society pulling down the chances of success for the real gold kids by flooding the market with people with A levels and degrees when years ago perhaps rightly they would be educated to 16 and got themselves a trade!
they are making a mockery out of attainment... the vast numbers of graduates leaving "Universities" (I use "" as most are one time poly-techniques... not a REAL uni with heritage and world standing!) means that for the most menial of jobs a degree will become a standard qualification... McDonalds will filter out their applicants as those with or without a higher ed qualification!!!
Thats the future as I see it and I don't like it!
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