Education & politics

Over the last few days the subject of debate on the television between the parties. In particular the discussion has revolved around what will happen to the Year 6 SATS. For those of you not up on the discussion the Tories are planning to abolish them and replace them with Year 7 testing. Now it is well established practice that almost all secondary schools test their new intake as they do not entirely trust the SATS results. After last year who can blame them. So there is some sense to the proposal. I will state here and now that I am not and never have been a Tory supporter.

Ed Balls, who many parents think is part of the problem with education and not part of the solution, accused the Tories of effectively attacking the parent's right to know how their school is performing and of attacking teachers. What utter patronising nonsense. League Tables are a construct which actually does not answer many fundamental questions relating to choice. They are a blunt instrument which shows which schools can teach to the test. Teachers were, in my day, trusted individuals who were able to give parents a clear picture of how their child(ren) were doing at school. What parents really want is to know that their offspring can read, write, add up and communicate effectively as a basic minimum. Having seen some of the results that turn up at universities across the country the comprehensive system and the education policy of all governments have failed utterly. The nonsensical idea that 50% of the population are actually capable of the academic rigour required to undertake a degree should be put to bed. As an ideal it is good but it has never been the case that this proportion of the populace have been academically able to take a degree. The degree has been devalued to the extent that only those with postgraduate qualifications can demonstrate that they are academically able.

Teachers should be allowed to teach. Yes there have to be tests and assessments but at primary level they must not be the pinnacle and most important thing.

The glorious leader, not Lord Mandelson of Sith but the Prime Minister, told his fellow Labour MPs that he would change and be open and transparent. Diane Abbott didn't believe him and a mere one week later she has been proved right. The Iraq Inquiry will be held behind closed doors it is unclear who can be called and what evidence can be seen. What is more important is that no blame will be apportioned. Blame is exactly what this inquiry should be apportioning. People in government either actively or recklessly misled Parliament and the country at large as to the reasons for going to war. Some of that negligence may well be of a criminal standard. People have died as a result of the lies told by the government. Members of the Cabinet may actually be liable for prosecution for war crimes. The opposition parties and any Labour MPs with a conscience should not rest until a full public inquiry is delivered. If anybody has committed a crime then they must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

But that being said the prosecuting authorities seem reluctant to prosecute politicians who are in government.

But we watch with interest for developments.