Wednesday 25 November 2009

”…’not fit for work’…”

Millions of school and college leavers are 'not fit for work', the boss of Marks & Spencer warned yesterday.

Chairman Sir Stuart Rose said too many didn't even have a basic grasp of the three Rs.
We’ve heard this all before, of course. In fact, we heard it from the Tesco chairman only a month or so ago…
A major poll by the charity of around 2,000 business leaders over 18 months found the education black hole was their second biggest headache after the recession.
I wonder how many of those 2,000 business leaders also figure on the ‘Supporters’ list of ‘Teach First’?

And the government’s response?

Deny, deny, deny…
Last night Schools Minister Iain Wright hit back at his claims, saying: 'Employers rightly have higher expectations of workers because there are fewer low-skill jobs in the economy - but it's unfair and wrong to make sweeping generalisations that distort the true picture.

'Our school leavers work hard for their qualifications and are better equipped for the world of work than they have ever been - with English and maths results at their highest ever levels and the consistency of those standards rigorously scrutinised by our independent exam regulator.'
‘We have always been at war with East Asia.’

9 comments:

James Higham said...

Millions of school and college leavers are 'not fit for work', the boss of Marks & Spencer warned yesterday.

Chairman Sir Stuart Rose said too many didn't even have a basic grasp of the three Rs.

Gosh what a shock - I'd never have guessed.

Mark Wadsworth said...

I thought Eurasia? Ah well.

Dr Evil said...

At university they are running remedial classes in maths and English for groups of Freshers studying engineering and English. These are people who have worked hard for their qualifications but been let down by shoddy teaching.

Oldrightie said...

Education, education, education mantra in socialist speak, is brainwashing, brainwashing.....

Pat said...

If the kids had a good education they'd see through all the claptrap.

Anonymous said...

Of course they can't read and write. The kids are too busy being educated about familial violence, teenage pregnancy, how to be a good citizen, global warming, 5 hours of PE a week, learning what to and what not to eat, drink, smoke, shag.

There's no time to teach them anything else.

Diplodocus Rex said...

Wow,

"there are fewer low-skill jobs in the economy"

Where did he get that gem from? It must be because of the huge upsurge in that talented group called Diversity Coordinators.

wv badeeter - isn't that Two Jags Prescott?

Anonymous said...

Is this guy on the 'shrooms?

"fewer low-skill jobs in the economy"

Fewer jobs.

Full stop.

The problems are compounded by the fact that subjects such as Media Studies don't have that much application beyond the classroom.

Fewer jobs...Micky Mouse qualifications...and whose fault is this...?

JuliaM said...

"Gosh what a shock - I'd never have guessed."

They've only been saying it since...well, since I started reading the newspapers.

"I thought Eurasia? Ah well."

Sad to say, I checked... ;)

"At university they are running remedial classes in maths and English for groups of Freshers studying engineering and English."

I wish I could say I was surprised, but...

"Of course they can't read and write. The kids are too busy being educated about familial violence, teenage pregnancy, how to be a good citizen, global warming, 5 hours of PE a week, learning what to and what not to eat, drink, smoke, shag.

There's no time to teach them anything else."


Yet there always seems to be more room in the cirriculum for just one more bizarre proposal. It's like the Tardis.

"It must be because of the huge upsurge in that talented group called Diversity Coordinators."

And don't forget 'Media studies', as SteveShark points out..

"Fewer jobs.

Full stop."


Very true...