A-levels: Why are we wasting tax payers' money? Options

[JeffG]

MODS: Sorry, I posted this in the wrong forum - please could you move to Random Rants.

I saw a news item this morning where a group of students who had just got their A-level results were being interviewed. One had A-levels in Media, Film and Critical Thinking (whatever that is - Philosophy?). The others had A-levels or Diplomas in other non-subjects.

Why are we wasting tax payers' money funding courses like this - teachers, exam setters, markers? I thought schools were for learning, not pratting around for a couple of years to get a meaningless piece of paper.

Now I suppose some of them will go on to University and further their "education" - again at the tax payers' expense.

Rant over.

[GMR]

I agree to a point; we are trying to get too many kids into University and forgetting about the other skilled trades; bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing etc. These trades are just as important as University. In fact we've got a shortage of skilled tradesmen. This government is all about targets and they forget about the individuals needs/ abilities.

[Bloggo]

I saw a news item this morning where a group of students who had just got their A-level results were being interviewed. One had A-levels in Media, Film and Critical Thinking (whatever that is - Philosophy?). The others had A-levels or Diplomas in other non-subjects.

Why are we wasting tax payers' money funding courses like this - teachers, exam setters, markers? I thought schools were for learning, not pratting around for a couple of years to get a meaningless piece of paper.

Now I suppose some of them will go on to University and further their "education" - again at the tax payers' expense.

Rant over.

There is a school of thought (no pun intended) that says that A level subjects have been expanded to include a raft of "non-subjects" and pass levels have been lowered to make the Governments education figures look good.

[Andy]

Who says exams are being dumbed down, his brother failed this!!!!!!...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...Manchester.html

[Bloggo]

Who says exams are being dumbed down, his brother failed this!!!!!!...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...Manchester.html

Priceless, It says it all eh!

[TallDarkAndHands...]

2.2 Million people at University. You are having a laugh.
Have all our young people suddenly got brighter and more intelligent or have the exams been dumbed down to such an extent so that New Labour can hide what the real unemployment figures would be??

[JeffG]

MODS: sorry I posted this in the wrong forum - please could you move to Random Rants.

[GMR]

Who says exams are being dumbed down, his brother failed this!!!!!!...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...Manchester.html

Jolly good! Brilliant idea.... next stop a certificate for breathing and then onto breathing University; which, I would think applies to everybody

[GMR]

2.2 Million people at University. You are having a laugh.
Have all our young people suddenly got brighter and more intelligent or have the exams been dumbed down to such an extent so that New Labour can hide what the real unemployment figures would be??

Another way they hide the figures is by the job centre sending people on courses. This way they are not on the unemployed register. It is believed that there are over a million extra that are not included in the unemployed register.

[Jamoza]

I agree to a point; we are trying to get too many kids into University and forgetting about the other skilled trades; bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing etc. These trades are just as important as University. In fact we've got a shortage of skilled tradesmen. This government is all about targets and they forget about the individuals needs/ abilities.

I've got qualifications in bricklaying, carpentry & plumbing. out of the lot plumbing is the easiest.

[GMR]

I've got qualifications in bricklaying, carpentry & plumbing. out of the lot plumbing is the easiest.

That is good then. My dad was a bricklayer.

[JeffG]

I've got qualifications in bricklaying, carpentry & plumbing. out of the lot plumbing is the easiest.

Must be useful for working at Sainsbury's at the moment

Vocational qualifications are fine. I just don't think they should be studied at school as A levels. (Not suggesting those particular qualifications were A levels, but you get my drift )

[user23]

I agree to a point; we are trying to get too many kids into University and forgetting about the other skilled trades; bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing etc. These trades are just as important as University. In fact we've got a shortage of skilled tradesmen. This government is all about targets and they forget about the individuals needs/ abilities.

Very true. Often university it seem as something to do for three years with the job the students ends up in baring little to no relevance to their degree.

[On the edge]

Very true. Often university it seem as something to do for three years with the job the students ends up in baring little to no relevance to their degree.

That's because a university is there to educate rather than train.

[Jamoza]

Must be useful for working at Sainsbury's at the moment

Very useful, you have to lay a brick to sign on the till, sand down the stock & plumb in the payments

[user23]

That's because a university is there to educate rather than train.

What do you think the difference is?

[Familytreeingfor...]

I don't think all the A levels like Media and stuff like that are a waste of time. When I did my A Levels nearly 3 years ago now. I did History, Philosophy and Ethics, and Psychology. History was the biggest waste of time ever. Where as I learnt so much from Philosophy and Ethics, it really made me think about how we look at things in life and how our society works. Psychology was also extremely useful. Both have helped with my job, which is working with children with special needs for the last two years.
I am now going to university to do a degree in Social Work, I don't think that this degree is just to educate me, I do think it is to train me as well.
Some degrees are completely useless I agree, for example one of the Manchester Universities does David Beckham Studies!!!

[GMR]

Some degrees are completely useless I agree, for example one of the Manchester Universities does David Beckham Studies!!!

Wouldn't that be call an A-nal Degree?

[Strafin]

Some degrees are completely useless I agree, for example one of the Manchester Universities does David Beckham Studies!!!

No it doesn't.

[Familytreeingfor...]

They did use to do it. They don't anymore!