Vocation, Vocation, Vocation

‘THE great news for the half of all boys leaving primary school unable to write properly is that they will have until they’re 18 years old to master the black art.

”I got an NVQ in this, you know”

The new Ofsted report shows how seven years after the Government issued the national literacy strategy, only 56% of boys passed the Government writing test at aged 11.

Little wonder the Times sees the figures as ”devastating”.

But not to worry, because the lads who can read can today learn that educashun, edgucatione, educashoon will see them all right in the end.

The Guardian reports that instead of replacing A-levels and GCSEs with a new diploma dreamt up by former head of Ofsted Sir Mike Tomlinson, vocational qualifications are to be given a boost.

Education Secretary Ruth Kelly does not wish to rock the boat unduly in the run-up to a General Election and has drawn up a white paper stressing the importance of ”aspiration and opportunity”.

Not only has Ruth spelt both words correctly, but she has hit upon a delicious new buzz phrase.

And buoyed by her success there, she’s written another, calling for a shift from ”comprehensive schools” to ”comprehensive education”.

Kelly truly has a way with words. And we hope that her skilled and controlled use of phrases which can be readily trotted out by her and her colleagues earns her extra marks.

And so to the plan, the one Kelly hopes will end the ”snobbish” divide between vocational and academic study.

”For reasons of both economic and social justice, we have to tackle that,” says she.

”We want the expectation to be that you continue in education [beyond 16]. It means effectively raising the school leaving age to 18.”

At which point everyone can decamp to university – so long as the academics have the right grades and the boy who wants to be a circus performer can juggle.’

Posted: 23rd, February 2005 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink