What are you teaching, eh?

 If anyone thought there is something wrong with education in this country, give them a medal! How many times have we said or thought, "heavens above, what is going on in our schools"? What are our young children being taught? What are they shown? And yes, here we are again, this Saturday it is reported that a school, a secondary school, in one of the lessons asked children whether they thought the Hamas attack was fair. This was reported on Mumsnet, a website where parents discuss some issues arising. Without any doubt, whatever a teacher’s personal opinion, they should be very very careful about how they approach issues like war, its accompanying atrocities and without seemingly taking sides. One may ask where did this teacher come from? What university did they attend? What indeed is their quality to teach? My daughter is a teacher, she attained a BSc in a Life science followed by a PGCE. Now in England apparently a PGCE is not needed to teach but a PGCE can give you a better understanding of teaching practices, educational research and theory. It can also be beneficial if you want to teach in other countries because it’s an internationally recognised academic qualification. So, a few questions need to be asked about the teacher, about the school itself and its modus operandi. Fortunately it has become an open issue so steps as necessary may be taken.

It leaves however a secondary question – where are we going with education generally? From where I am sitting I can see a general slide into what I can only call obscurity. There is an issue with universities because of filling places and getting more fees they have begun to offer more and more mediocre art subjects. As a result we are getting graduates with the notorious ‘Mickey Mouse’ degrees. Whilst the student expectations are sky high because they obtained a ‘Degree’. It matters not a jot in the outside world. Secondly, a shortage of good teachers, for instance very few men apply these days because of fear of being taken to court and also the general behaviour of children themselves. As a result we see many more teachers with dubious attitudes, politically and socially. Then there is the continuing political meddling with education. We have seen headteachers committing suicide because of the seemingly unfair pressures being put upon schools enduring inspections. I have been a school governor and have to say that political interference is enormous! Every governor’s meeting you will be issued wads of Director of Education papers. Obviously, some of which is useful, but most really is drivel. I hasten to add this is a personal opinion. But altogether one can see where the problems arise. In some of my more heated discussions I have said many times education must be freed from political oversight! Furthermore, Mickey Mouse degrees should be taken off the menu, sciences must be taught much more seriously. Also, not just SCIENCE but separated in multi coloured ways. Molecular science, biological science, separated in medical, like research into human diseases and of course medicine itself. There is need for Environmental degrees amongst many more. We don’t need home economists or a degree in vacuum cleaning, nor do we degrees in applying make-up. If you as a person want to be an artist, well all fine, do so but don’t waste your time in an university. But watch out you might be offered a degree course by Oxford University on how to become Father Christmas. Now that’s what I call a nice BA!