Education education education

It seems from the papers yesterday that the Government is about to rationalise some of its funded vocational diploma courses - BTEC , NVQs, City and Guilds, that sort of thing. Believe it or not there are over 6500 courses of which 65% are attended by less than one hundred people a year. Sounds like a shed load of wasted money.

These courses include such, employment enhancing learning opportunities as "Cash and valuables transit" "Cake decoration" - how on earth could my mother have learnt her skills without such a course - and "Parking Control" I presume the latter leads to a Masters in "Wheel Clamping" and ultimately a doctorate in "Management of Fixed Multi Priced Penalty Parking in the UK"

As usual with Government ideas, the essential review/implementation will not be speedy and is unlikely to take place before 2013. This rationalisation of courses will go hand in hand, with the establishment of a new organisation which will carry the name, the Joint Advisory Committee on Qualification Awards. Supposedly this organisation will do the same job as NICE does for medicine. Very comforting.

If the above reorganisation were not enough, the weekend papers highlighted the actions of a school in Cornwall ,which was promoting an activity week (in term time) and included such educationally mind stretching and child developing subjects as - no lie - shopping, snooker and video games. To be fair, and for £250, there was also a school camp for those that could afford it.

If education is so important why does it seem that it actually does not count. Why are the basics overlooked for the easy bling options. Why is it that some inconsequential certificate, in say nail painting, can be regarded as the equivalent of three GCEs or whatever they are called now.

My last experience of skill based education was about five years ago when I undertook a plumbing NVQ. Of the forty people on the course twenty four were between 16 and 20. This group formed their own class but it was found that 80% of them had to undertake additional study in English and Maths to reach a level to enable them to continue the plumbing course and understand the required theory work. Most of this 80% were straight from school. Having left school in August they were not thought to be up to the required standard come September.

With a third of children supposedly spending over three hours a day playing computer games, and many others dealing with obesity, allied in London, to others causing a major threat to safety - quote Sir Ian Blair- it is not difficult to presume that not many children are actually receiving an education at all. Ok I accept that perhaps its not that bad but when one includes the tactics of the NUT it is a wonder that children receive any form of education at all, particularly if as it seems, some parents dont give a toss.

Three pests have returned to the garden. The deer - mentioned previously, squirrels and magpies. The squirrels have destroyed a bird feeder and the remaining tulips are not looking too bright either.

Have just sown a five rows of potatoes so I must remember to ring Tescos when the crop is ready to harvest.