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As exam time approached the perennial question is asked “are exams getting easier?” with lots of nattering about qualifications becoming worthless and, really, is an A-Level in Austrian Geriatric Punting really that useful? Added in a heavy dose of “wow this generation’s ignorant” coupled with “schools aren’t teaching the basic skills people need!”
And my answer to this is:
Well DUH. What do you expect?! Surely this was predictable?
Let us consider 2 aspects of the education system:
1) League Tables (based on exam obsession)
2) Privatised exam boards.
The first one means that teachers will teach to the exam. Schools are organised around the exam. Studying knowledge that may be useful in the real world or interesting or even part of the subject you are supposed to be studying is irrelevant - they need to be able to quote the exam answers parrot fashion. Which is why there are millions of kids out there who know what the Spinning Jenny is and who made it and even WHEN but they can’t tell you who Chamberlain was. Pupils do not need to know a subject, schools are penalised for wasting time on actual teaching. They need to be able to do the exam.
Which brings us to no. 2. Exam boards are BUSINESSES. They are in COMPETITION. Now how do you get (league table obsessed) schools to go for your exam (and earn you lots of money)?
By providing a comprehensive exam and education guide that covers the subject fully and ensures the pupils are taught a broad base of knowledge and skills well?
OR
By making your exam as easy as possible while still being acceptable by the watchdogs and ensuring lessons are geared to the exam as much as possible (and likely be much more boring) meaning the school will get a nice high grade rate and climb those league tables?
Because cynical me can see which one is going to get the most “customers” and lead to the biggest bottom line. And that's the problem with privatising something like this - because for some things profit is not the priority.
And my answer to this is:
Well DUH. What do you expect?! Surely this was predictable?
Let us consider 2 aspects of the education system:
1) League Tables (based on exam obsession)
2) Privatised exam boards.
The first one means that teachers will teach to the exam. Schools are organised around the exam. Studying knowledge that may be useful in the real world or interesting or even part of the subject you are supposed to be studying is irrelevant - they need to be able to quote the exam answers parrot fashion. Which is why there are millions of kids out there who know what the Spinning Jenny is and who made it and even WHEN but they can’t tell you who Chamberlain was. Pupils do not need to know a subject, schools are penalised for wasting time on actual teaching. They need to be able to do the exam.
Which brings us to no. 2. Exam boards are BUSINESSES. They are in COMPETITION. Now how do you get (league table obsessed) schools to go for your exam (and earn you lots of money)?
By providing a comprehensive exam and education guide that covers the subject fully and ensures the pupils are taught a broad base of knowledge and skills well?
OR
By making your exam as easy as possible while still being acceptable by the watchdogs and ensuring lessons are geared to the exam as much as possible (and likely be much more boring) meaning the school will get a nice high grade rate and climb those league tables?
Because cynical me can see which one is going to get the most “customers” and lead to the biggest bottom line. And that's the problem with privatising something like this - because for some things profit is not the priority.