An ‘Idiotic’ Idea

I REFER to the article ‘Schools in for bills shock’ last Thursday, and am writing on the basis that the piece was a) not a spoof and b) was correctly reported.

If it wasn’t and it was, respectively, then the decisions made by the Ministry of Education merit a mention in the Encyclopaedia Idiotica, which lists the most bone-headed ideas of all time. Here, for instance, we read of the cost-saving measure of the Austrian government in 1914, to economise on a couple of armed guards for their Archduke on his visit to Serbia.This led to the unfortunate Archduke being promptly assassinated, which led to the outbreak of the First World War, which led (among other things) to the annihilation of the Austrian empire.Back to the worthies at our Ministry of Education, Messrs Beyleveld and Ankama, who have come up with a brilliant idea for cutting costs: schools will have to pay their own water and electricity bills, and teachers’ salaries will be de-linked from their qualifications: yes, you understood it right: teachers will not receive any increase or recognition in respect of further professional qualifications they may be training or studying for, often at great cost and stress to themselves.There will therefore be now no financial incentive for teachers’ self-improvement – in the example mentioned, an MSc graduate teaching in a primary school will earn less than a three-year diploma holder at a secondary school.Science labs will be curtailed, and computers switched off whenever possible, since they use lots of electricity.Learners will be encouraged to wash less or use less water, to keep down the bills – more risk of hygiene problems or disease? And cynical, bored, or demotivated teachers will turn out thousands more badly educated, unemployable school leavers into society.I think that will prove more expensive than the Min of Ed’s salary or electricity bill.What do you think? Believe It Or Not Via e-mail Note: Name and address provided – EdHere, for instance, we read of the cost-saving measure of the Austrian government in 1914, to economise on a couple of armed guards for their Archduke on his visit to Serbia.This led to the unfortunate Archduke being promptly assassinated, which led to the outbreak of the First World War, which led (among other things) to the annihilation of the Austrian empire.Back to the worthies at our Ministry of Education, Messrs Beyleveld and Ankama, who have come up with a brilliant idea for cutting costs: schools will have to pay their own water and electricity bills, and teachers’ salaries will be de-linked from their qualifications: yes, you understood it right: teachers will not receive any increase or recognition in respect of further professional qualifications they may be training or studying for, often at great cost and stress to themselves. There will therefore be now no financial incentive for teachers’ self-improvement – in the example mentioned, an MSc graduate teaching in a primary school will earn less than a three-year diploma holder at a secondary school.Science labs will be curtailed, and computers switched off whenever possible, since they use lots of electricity.Learners will be encouraged to wash less or use less water, to keep down the bills – more risk of hygiene problems or disease? And cynical, bored, or demotivated teachers will turn out thousands more badly educated, unemployable school leavers into society. I think that will prove more expensive than the Min of Ed’s salary or electricity bill.What do you think? Believe It Or Not Via e-mail Note: Name and address provided – Ed