State pension

[Cav]

We need to stop nannying everyone first and foremost. Bring back clipping a kid round the ear that misbehaves, allow Police officers to have control over the streets, bring back respect.

Our kids are how they are today because they don't fear anything besides not having the latest iPhone at 6 months of age.

As for education, a friend of mine's kid came home from school with spelling homework. The words they had to spell were: terrorist, taliban, al qaeda, bomb and a few more along the same lines. It's ridiculous if you ask me. Teach them about things that matter, about evolution, about the human body, about how equilibrium affects everything, how to write reports, how to do trig, how to change a lightbulb, how to stay fit and healthy... What really strikes me as concerning is how many parents don't know what their kids are learning in school - now, whether that is due to the parent or the school is a different issue but it is concerning none the less.

[Kwacky]

It's a tick box system for education. My daughter has to make her options now and there's no consideration for which subjects she wants to do, she's got to do certain things so the school get a tick in the report.

I accept that all children need to learn English and Maths, but surely there should be a bit more flexibility beyond that? It's a very rigid system.

I know it's controversial but I'm a fan of ability schools. There is no harm in putting kids of a similar nature and intellect together. It makes it easier for the schools to look after the classes and makes it easier for teachers to deal with the pupils and their teaching needs. One shoe does not fit all.

[kiwikrasher]

I've got a pretty simplistic view of state provided pensions, but it seems relevant to the UK situation as it does here and in NZ.

To fund it the government have to basically run a pyramid scheme with the population. As the aged group increase in numbers they encourage more general population increase to provide taxes to fund it. This increases the problem further down the track. It's unsustainable. At some point it had to change to self funded for those that can. Taxes still need to cover the unfortunate (and sadly the lazy sneak in under that umbrella) We just have the luck of being the generation where that shift was made, but I do believe it's not a moment too soon.

As for the rest of it, the political parties here are just as crap as it sounds your lot is. No longer is the opposite sides a choice for the voter, they are all useless self fulfilling short shighted wankers with a view to get re-elected rather than actually do good for the country.

[D41]

I'll go along with the fact that schools teach a lot of stuff that most kids will never use that much in adult life, if at all. BUT....the whole point is to at least getting students to think, exercise, & rationalize within their own thought processes, their own minds.
Picking subjects to study should be fun....there's no better thing to learn than something you enjoy....and how on Earth are you supposed to know what you want to do when you're grown?? Or maybe not....I knew I wanted to work in a trade, I knew that much.

@ Kwacky....yes, it's a rigid system for sure...but surely it's to prepare kids for a harsh world??

[Kwacky]

But there's a difference between putting kids in a rigid schooling system and preparing them for the real world, which schools don't do IMO.

[Perkles]

I blame Taylor Swift

[Rossgo]

I really don't understand how KIDS are suppose to know what they want to do for their life! That is a massive decision surely!!

Parents should be a good guide but let's face it parents have their own crap to deal with and majority are in work because they have to earn not in something they love. I'm sure nowadays parents are just happy seeing their kid earning and being able to deal with life as it comes, being independent.

As an example. School used to have the facilities of brick laying, electrician work, plumbing work, wood work etc. Now it's the main 3 wood, textiles and food, none of which show the student what really happens in these for jobs it's purely a chance of another GCSE. It makes me laugh and angry all at the same time.

I agree with what Kwacky mentioned there really is nothing wrong with schools for same intellect, but the teachers have to know how to deal with them and realise how to educate them, what works on one person won't work on the next 3! The teachers are now just university people who believe they know the world (without seeing anything other than holidays with mummy and daddy or mates piss up holidays). Out of all my teachers I will always remember a few because they could teach anyone. One of my teachers (Ms Patel) was great, she knew how to teach every single person in ANYWAY THAT WORKED. She made herself look silly in front of us all if that meant it made 1 person understand who was struggling I'm almost certain that was the only lesson that my WHOLE class actually turned up for. In all honesty she was too good for the school that I went to in my opinion ...she got me a A* my first and only one I ever got in a written exam. What I'm trying to say is we need the right people doing the job for children but as we don't I'm.not surprised kids are walking out of school with a blank expression on their face saying what next?!

[D41]

But there's a difference between putting kids in a rigid schooling system and preparing them for the real world, which schools don't do IMO.

I don't know....for all it's inequities, I think the system works pretty well....a solid family foundation provides as good a grounding as anything else for preparing a kid for adulthood....and there's still a huge amount of room for error.
I have to hope that the people whose job it is to educate our kids know what they're doing...just as I hope that the guy who's fixing my truck knows how to wrench. And if they don't, then what are the options....home schooling??...not a viable option for most parents...I just don't know the answer, and I doubt anyone else does.