[cl_steele]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18676638

Thoughts and views on this, a good move to help boost literacy and numeracy levels in the UK or just an added burden for some students?

[Lunch_Box]

Good.

I hate math-illiterate people who cannot pass GCSE Foundation Maths.

[inspiron1]

I don't think grasping Maths and English skills needed for the world of work is a burden. If they can't achieve a C, then they are below average and need further assistance.

[funsongfactory]

Well yes, if they haven't passed GCSE maths and English first time round clearly they need extra help!

[prog2djent]

I think this is an indirect ploy to try and stave off unemployment for a bit longer.

[Ham22]

(Original post by prog2djent)
I think this is an indirect ploy to try and stave off unemployment for a bit longer.

ding ding ding. we have a winner.

What happens if you obtain a C or higher and you still have inadequate basic skills? My spelling is terrible for e.g.

[Millyshyn]

Great idea. This sort of thing works well in the rest of Europe. I remember finding it really ridiculous that even if you didn't pass your exams here, you go on to the next year of school. If you don't pass in most other countries you would have to repeat the year until you did.

[Keckers]

(Original post by prog2djent)
I think this is an indirect ploy to try and stave off unemployment for a bit longer.

Indirect? It's about as direct as possible.

[doggyfizzel]

It might stave off unemployment appearing in the stats for a little while, but its probably going to help in the long term. You are pretty limited if you can't do the most basic tasks at the most basic level, especially in the type of economy we have.

Quite frankly if you haven't got a learning disorder failing Maths and English is just pathetic. I mean what the **** have you been doing with your life that you had some thing better to do then learn to read, write and count? Its a complete failure on a parental and personal level, no school in this nation is that bad you shouldn't get those grades in such fundamental subjects.

[ArcadiaHouse]

(Original post by Lunch_Box)
Good.

I hate math-illiterate people who cannot pass GCSE Foundation Maths.

Maths.*

[Norton1]

(Original post by ArcadiaHouse)
Maths.*

Personally I would have gone for mathematically.

[prog2djent]

(Original post by Keckers)
Indirect? It's about as direct as possible.

Probably.

The BBC article is kind of funny instead of telling us about the details, all we get is "the government has announced", WOOOOOOOW THANKS AGAIN BER BER CER

But what we do see is a more precise and direct quote from the Shadown Education sectretary, nice bias again
“If the government is serious about raising the age at which young people leave education, they should implement measures... such as requiring employers to check a young person is enrolled on a course ”

"The statement quotes a CBI survey saying two in five employers were not satisfied with literacy levels among school leavers."

This is twaddle, employers simply aren't employing people beacuse there isn't enough demand to justify another wage on the balance sheet, there have been articles and studies going for years pre-recession about how employers think native brits are a bunch of bone headed illiterate slobs.

And what the hell is a cul de sac qualification? Is it a dead end qualification, well rounded, people who take it will end up in a nice suburb full of semi-detached houses, 2 children families Audi A4's and on a cul de sac???

[FrescoDiMorte]

No and No. First of all most kids that can't get a C at maths and english don't really want to learn/be at school. So essentially it's forcing kids who dont wanna be there to stay in school, leading to:

Taxpayers money being wasted on forcing kids to be in school when they don't wanna, which will essentially keep the level of illiterate kids at the same or worse.

Plus for kids that do want to learn (but still failed), they have to put up with being distracted in lessons by ''Future Fifty Cent'' who doesn't give a fudge about his or anyone elses education.

[prog2djent]

(Original post by Norton1)
Personally I would have gone for mathematically.

Yeah, maths-illiterate sounds a little retarded.

Derp.

[Norton1]

(Original post by prog2djent)
Yeah, maths-illiterate sounds a little retarded.

Derp.

You mistake me sir, I wouldn't criticise Arcadia. A mere difference of opinion, as one might find in any hostelry on a Monday night.

[M4LLY]

I'm for it, everyone should be able to do basic maths and english

[prog2djent]

(Original post by FrescoDiMorte)
No and No. First of all most kids that can't get a C at maths and english don't really want to learn/be at school. So essentially it's forcing kids who dont wanna be there to stay in school, leading to:

Taxpayers money being wasted on forcing kids to be in school when they don't wanna, which will essentially keep the level of illiterate kids at the same or worse.

Plus for kids that do want to learn (but still failed), they have to put up with being distracted in lessons by ''Future Fifty Cent'' who doesn't give a fudge about his or anyone elses education.

But taxpayers money would be wasted even more by keeping these people on benefits because they can't find a job, regardless of economic climate, illiterate and inumerate people can't find a job in a boom because the other people/compeition get it instead, with the qualifications, and they can't find jobs in a recession because there aren't any. If we don't force them into it, it is a lose-lose scenario.

However, this scheme should be voluntary.

The kids that don't want to go into education again have to do some sort of community service to payback the YEARS of wasted tax payer money on their education, only for them to fail it. But the kids who want to go back in, rather than do the former, shall.

You have to remember people that fail these subjects might not do so because they are just dense (beacuse of parents, or school) or lazy (friends, not interested, video games, pop culture etc etc). There might be outside influences, my mate, who is, in my opinion, above average intelligence, got a bunch of D's and E's at GCSE, but was on course for mostly B's and C's. His parents got divorced a few weeks earlier and it pretty much broke him down for that period.

[prog2djent]

(Original post by Norton1)
You mistake me sir, I wouldn't criticise Arcadia. A mere difference of opinion, as one might find in any hostelry on a Monday night.

[Aspiringlawstudent]

I think education should be entirely optional, so I am against this.

[prog2djent]

(Original post by Ham22)
ding ding ding. we have a winner.

What happens if you obtain a C or higher and you still have inadequate basic skills? My spelling is terrible for e.g.

Wouldn't Maths and English be classified as basic skills though?

What else would you say there is, courtesy? Manners? Woodwork? Hygiene? People skills?

I got and A* in English Lit and an A* in English Lang, a C in Maths (shame ) but for the life of me can't operate a sand belt and wouldn't mind telling you to **** off over saying hello.

Cos' that's how I roll!