Tuesday 2 October 2012

A Tale of Two Millibands


It has emerged that Ed Milliband didn't get a decent education and went to a local comprehensive school.

Seems he's invented a new term - the forgotten 50% - meaning those those don't go to university. Back in the day (a term my son is eminently familiar with), only between 5% and 10% of pupils went to university; that makes me one of the forgotten 90%. Didn't do me or any of my contemporaries any harm though.

It would appear that Ed just wants everyone not going to university to be portrayed as a victim of a vile and elitist system that promotes merit instead of mediocrity.

He's proposing a technical baccalaureate, but what about the ones who fail that? 

The word baccalaureate is fast becoming a debased and worthless term, like GCSE. Won't be long before Starbucks or MacDonald's are issuing their own.


8 comments:

Steve Borthwick said...

I think he means the 50% who "forgot" to work hard at school (like me!)..

Phil N said...

Excuse me sir? ( said in a pathetic little voice) WTF is a GCSE ? didn't we do O levels? and the thick ones did some lower level ( me thinks with the above initials) because they had to get something !! And Steve, its not about working hard at school.. I think we all agree you learn more in your fist two weeks in the "real world" than you did at your average secondary comprehensive ! ( not that we went there, did we PVB, but we did hear stories!)

Steve Borthwick said...

Phil, I think I learned more in my first two weeks of marriage... ;)

Chairman Bill said...

My point is that the other 50% are not forgotten - they get on with life and get a job. There are more jobs for which you don't need a degree than there are where you need a degree. And in half the cases, the degree is useless anyway and experience is much more valuable.

Steve Borthwick said...

CB, Getting a degree is "experience" too. Personally I wouldn't begrudge anyone the opportunity to try it; IMO getting a degree (or any kind of education) is not just about utilitarian "need".

Chairman Bill said...

My point, Steve, is that not having one does not make you a 2nd class citizen, as Milliband is implying. One is not on the scrapheap without a degree.

Chairman Bill said...

...although the way they hand them out now would turn someone not having one into a minority.

Steve Borthwick said...

CB, I quite agree, not having one doesn't mean any of those things. In my experience though having one isn't a utopian path to riches and fame either, as Milliband would also imply. In the end it's down to luck, nature plus a bit of nurture on the side... as always.