Rescuing
Democracy in the United Kingdom from our current Elected
Dictatorship
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Spin, not
face-to-face confrontations with the voters, is the Government's
chosen method of communication. Ordinary
people are dangerous. Ordinary people might ask a question
which throws a politician 'off message'; the Cabinet member
might reveal himself or herself to be a human being like
us, and not a programmed android. Worse still, he or she
might tell the truth.
Ann Leslie - Daily Mail, September
16, 2004
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Professors
'forced to pass failing students'
Widespread
'dumbing down' of unversity education standards has been exposed
by a survey (reported in the Daily Mail, November 18, 2004).
Academics say they are being forced to pass undergraduates
whose performance does not justify it amid mounting pressure to
maintain student numbers and funding.
The
study, by the Times Higher Education Supplement, of almost 400
academics across the UK is a major blow to the Government - which
wants 50% of all young people to experience higher education by
2010. Institutions are facing increasing pressure to recruit disadvantaged
youngsters or face financial penalties of up to £500,000.
In
the survey, 71% of academics admitted their 'institution has admitted
students who are not capable of benefiting from higher lefel study'.
And half said they had 'felt obliged to pass a student whose performance
did not really merit a pass'.
Alan
Smithers, profesor of education at Buckingham University, claimed
that universities are trapped in a 'vicious circle' by a funding
system that forces them to accept weaker students to fill plades,
but imposes financial penalties if any drop out through failing
courses. "It is almost inevitable that standards will drop
to ensure students stay," he said.
A
Department of Eduation and Skills spokesman said yesterday: "The
Government is clear that admissions to university must be on merit,
based on a student's achievements and potential."
Flawed
obsession with exam reform
Comment
- Daily Mail, October 19, 2004
So
begins yet another attempt to reform Britain's secondary education
- imposed on a school system reeling from the perpetual changes
forced on it by meddlesome bureaucrats and politicians. Since
New Labour came to power, our exam system has been in a state
of almost permanent revolution. The introduction of the useless
AS level ... easier modular assessments ....the introduction of
social criteria into university entrances .... and, of course,
targets, targets, targets.
Why
do we need these continual changes? The answer is that New Labour
needs to find ever more ways to disguise the fact that a party
which promised 'education, education, education' has presided
over a remorseless dumbing down, accompanied by the equally remorseless
grading up of exam results.
This does not conceal the fact that today it is possible to get
GCSE's in English without being able to write grammatically and
in maths without being able to count properly. Too many leave
school at 16 with no qualifications while still more are not truly
stretched by their exams.
This
is the context in which former chief schools inspector Mike Tomlinson
promises yet another revolution. To be fair, some of his suggestions
merit good marks. He deserves considerable praise for proposing
A-levels in vocational subjects that give long overdue recognition
to technical skills. He is correct also to insist on compulsory
basic numeracy and literacy.
But
replacing GCSE's with teacher-led assessment devalues an important
exam and lead to inevitable charges that low standards are being
covered up. On the one hand his new diploma system seems to simplify
things. On the other, it has so many layers that it is open to
abuse and begs the question whether the most able will be truly
stretched.
But
the real question is that, after seven years of spin and
incompetence, can we truly trust New Labour and their obsession
with social engineering with such radical 'reforms'.
At
a glance, changes and how they will work
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Grading
The
brightest students would have more chance to shine with
two new supergrades of A+ and A++ available for pupils
taking the advanced diploma replacing A-levels. The A++
grade is only likely to be achieved by about 5% of students
who successfully answer tougher questions. If trials are
successful, a national U.S. -style aptitude test could
be incorporated to help universities identify able pupils
failed by poor schooling.
Skills
and Activities
Pupils
would be encouraged to develop a range of personal skills
including effective time-management and team-working.
They should be able to solve problems, set and meet their
own challenges, defend a position, understand others viewpoints
and be 'morally and ethically aware'.
Transcripts
Pupils
would be handed transcripts to take to employers and universities
which detail achievement over their entire school careers.
They would be available online via a secure database to
allow bosses and university admissions tutors to access
them easily. Extra-curricular activities such as voluntary
work and Duke of Edinburgh awards would also be listed.
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Core
Subjects
Pupils
would not gain their intermediate or advance diplomas
unless they reached minimum standards in 'functional'
maths, literacy and computer skills, which would be externally
assessed. They could resit until they reached the standard.
Mr Tomlinson does not believe existing GCSE's in English
and maths require pupils to demonstrate basic competence
and employers have complained that school leavers are
unable to spell or add up despite having good grades.
Extended
Project
A
single extended research project would replace the large
amounts of coursework that swamp students in the run-up
to exams. It could be a written report, investigation
or performance demonstrating critical thinking and study
skills.
Teacher
assessment
The
number of public examinations would be slashed to give
pupils more time to learn their subjects. The advanced
diploma would be mainly assessed using formal exams, but
lower levels would involve far greater use of teachers'
grades. Pupils would be assessed on their performance
in assignments, projects and informal tests throughout
the course. They would be able to improve on work submitted
during the course and the teacher would make a final judgement
about theiir performance towards the end. By 2007, exams
taken in the sixth-form would be reduced from six to four.
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For
the health of our democracy, we, the people of the United Kingdom,
must find a way to force Mr Blair to resign
Such
defiance of the democratic process and the will of the majority
of we people of the UK, must be exposed by voters as a matter
or urgency, and not just in the two by-elections we have had this
July and the European elections in June 2004. But how can this
be done?
The
most effective way of getting our deceitful PM to resign would
be to mobilise the army of Labour MPs currently in the House of
Commons and get them to demand it, the loss of their seat to be
a penalty if they did not. All voters in Labour-held constituencies
need to write a letter along these lines to their local Labour
MPs:
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Dear
Despite
his absolute and unequivocal assurances over the past year
of the serious risk to our security of Saddam Hussein's
'weapons of mass destruction', Prime Minister Blair
has admitted, that the threat was non-existent. For that
critical error of judgement and for his gross incompetence
in handling this very important issue, I ask you to take
immediate steps to ensure that Tony Blair does the honourable
thing and resign without delay..
I
would therefore be much obliged if you would propose and
help mobilise a Parliamentary vote of 'No Confidence' in
Mr Blair which, despite Labour's huge majority, would leave
the PM with no option but to resign.
If
I get no reply to this letter, I shall assume you will continue
to support Mr Blair as our Prime Minister. In such circumstances
I shall not vote for you in the forthcoming General Election.
Signed:
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Simple,
non-violent, protest letters along these lines on a variety of
issues could be the basis for re-vitalising our democracy and
increasing voters' interest and participation in politics. Download
a printable copy of the above letter here.
There
is another way for the voice of the silent majority to be heard,
a voice that made sure broken promises would not only be revealed,
but punished in subsequent elections.
In
the year available before the General Election expected in 2005,
many topics are available as ammunition, each one asking questions.
A weapon for our purpose will be the results of Opinion Polls
in individual constituencies using ICM, NOP, Gallop, Mori
or YouGov.
Questions
suggested for this purpose are listed here.
CAST
YOUR VOTE ON A VARIETY OF OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES HERE.
Current
and prospective Parliamentary candidates of all Parties running
for election could share a platform at public forums in every
constituency. They would be presented with the results of
polls on this issue expressed by the majority of voters in that
constituency.
The candidates could be asked if their own views and that of their
Party manifesto corresponded with the polls, and if not, how they
intended to represent the will of the majority of local voters.
Local and National Press, Radio and TV coverage would be arranged
and the results published on this web site.
Here
is another powerful strategy for using your vote effectively in
the forthcoming General Election. Send your sitting and prospective
MPs a letter defining your requirements if they want your vote.
This example deals with the proposed
EU Constitutional Treaty.
Your
letters would end: "If you do not answer
this letter, I shall take it that you intend to follow the Government
line. I shall act accordingly in the forthcoming General Election.
Or
why not create a questionnaire that you send to all the candidates
in your constituency, getting them to give yes/no answers to questions
of your choice, and ending it with the same paragraph(above).
Download
a printable example of the questionnaire.
It
is high time for the people of this United Kingdom to stop allowing
themselves to be manipulated by politicians. We need our representatives
in Parliament to genuinely reflect the view of the majority in
their own constituency, even if this means going against their
personal and/or their party's policy. While they may argue their
case, hoping to change the minds of the majority in their constituency,
they should ultimately be obliged to reflect the majority view
of those who elect them.
It
will be argued by politicians of all parties that most voters
don't have the knowledge necessary to express an opinion on important
subjects at issue, and that our vote is a form of delegated democracy.
We should argue that it is their duty to ensure that we voters
do have ready access to such information as is necessary to form
an intelligent opinion. That, after all, is one main purpose of
Opposition Parties in our Parliamentary Democracy.
Most
important of all, such proceedings would rekindle in voters their
latent interest and obligation to cast their vote, knowing that
the candidate of their choice would be more likely to act in accordance
with their wishes. A much higher turnout in elections would be
the result.
Contact
your local Party Chairman. Gain his support for setting up public
forums in your constituency on these, as well as any other relevant
topics, well before the next General Election expected in 2005.
You should then, depending on the integrity of the candidate of
your choice, feel fairly certain that your view on any subject
being debated in Parliament will more accurately be reflected
by your representative in that assembly.
