Wednesday 1 February 2012

Worthless qualifications, or worthless measures?

Yesterday’s announcement on the exclusion of the majority of vocational qualifications from performance tables made a big splash in the press. Examples of ‘easy-to-achieve’ qualifications leapt upon by university-educated journalists included a BTEC in fish husbandry and a Diploma in horse care. No mention of the fact that employers may value these qualifications or, that if you are a kid growing up in Newmarket or Lambourn, our two principal horse racing centres, then actually that Diploma in horse care might be a pretty fantastic qualification to have.
It’s easy to write off ‘non-academic qualifications’ as easier to achieve. This instantly devalues all the effort students put in to achieve these qualifications in the first place. And of course, I do share concerns about not preparing the individual for the future. That kid from Newmarket may work in horse racing for a while, but circumstances may mean a change of job or career, so basic education does need to provide for essential numeracy and literacy.
But who is Alison Wolf or Michael Gove to say that the Diploma in Horse Care does not provide essential numeracy and literacy. They are making an assumption about all of these qualifications, that they do not develop these basic skills. But it’s not the case. And there are plenty of students who follow the GCSE route and still leave school without these basic skills.  The Government still hold up GCSEs as a gold standard, when employers frequently criticise the skills of those with 9 or 10 of these.
What we have moved to now is a model where schools are not measured on the achievement or the progress of their students. They are measured on their GCSE results, and preferably GCSE results in five subjects. All this model will achieve is that many more schools will get an unjustifiably bad reputation, or ‘fail’, when actually they may be developing well-rounded and confident individuals for the world beyond school, individuals who are able to apply the skills they have used in whatever job they are able to find.   
It’s not the qualifications that are the problem, it’s the performance tables. Measures are important, but the only subjects that should be measured are maths and English - literacy and numeracy - and the rest should be down to the school and its strategy to deliver an education to its pupils. Education is about learning, not about meeting a target set by Government. Let schools educate, don’t force them to jump through artificially created hoops.

15 comments:

  1. People have started to think degrees are worthless as they do not assure if you are capable of getting the job done. I agree with this as I use https://domyhomeworkfor.me/economics-homework-help for my other homework but I ace my programming myself. So only my programming skills matter for the job, not the others

    ReplyDelete
  2. Blog and all plots of the heroes are calculated for the candidates. Element of the team and prodissertation.com is fit for the turns. The commodity is piled for the bifurcation in the mid of the offered and gigantic items for humans.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know right! Even I went all salty when I saw this interview of Micheal Grove. I mean, all the majors require your mental health and that is what education is. I did nursing and now I provide nursing essay help in London. So does that my qualification is not valuable? Pathetic!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well, eliminating some of the major academic parts from the curriculum is not a good thing. As we have faced too many issues already in getting good scores. And now if easy scoring subjects get removed then it will be more difficult for us. And then only professional global assignment writers can help us in getting done with our work to get good scores.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I completely get your point. I also don’t understand why people think that non-academic talents and qualifications are worthless. My brother also had to endure this twisted behaviour when he applied for a writer’s job. But thankfully, he found an article writing service in Lahore that appreciate his all talents. I wish for you to also find a place like that. Good people like these are really needed nowadays.

    ReplyDelete
  6. People should be allowed to judge for your performance. Why not create an online poll to test your performance? It will help you to get positive feedback from your clients. Coursework Writing Services

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your blog is out of my interest actually I was looking for some rental generators and their services but somewhere you discussed very informative points that enhanced my knowledge.
    Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  8. It is quite useful. I absolutely get your point. I also don't understand why individuals believe that non-academic skills and qualifications are unimportant. I offer backend development services in conjunction with web design. My brother had to go through the same ordeal. Thank you for an excellent article, and best of luck.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Stunning site! Do you have any accommodating clues for trying essayists? I’m wanting to begin my own site soon yet I’m somewhat lost on everything. Black Leather Hoodie Jacket Would you prompt beginning with a free stage like or go for a paid alternative? There are such a large number of alternatives out there that I’m totally overpowered .. Any thoughts? Welcome it!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Excellent article it is very impressive and informative help with assignment writing content thanks for share us.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow! Considering how fascinating your post is, I want to express my appreciation for all of your efforts in writing your post about The Worthless qualifications, and worthless measures. In any case, if you need assistance with a supply chain management dissertation writing service, I suggest hiring one of their writers to finish the work for you. I truly hope you will find this website useful and that employing this service will yield the desired outcomes.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I enjoyed reading this article and it made me reflect on my own educational journey. I agree that qualifications alone are not sufficient to guarantee success, but they do provide a foundation and a starting point for further growth as students can visit Dissertation Writing Services UK for guarantee success.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I do share concerns about not preparing the individual for the future. That kid from Newmarket may work in horse racing for a while, but circumstances may mean a change of job or career. If you are in search of best thesis writer please consider Pay Someone To Write My Health Care Thesis in USA

    ReplyDelete
  14. While the discussion continues, it underscores the diverse pathways to education and career success. As discussions unfold, students navigating challenging coursework, such as pharmacology, may find value in specialized support. For those seeking excellence in pharmacology coursework, professional assistance and guidance can make a substantial difference in achieving academic goals. Exploring avenues like pharmacology coursework help ensures a well-rounded approach to education in a landscape where diverse qualifications face scrutiny.

    ReplyDelete