Give them BlackBerry cake!

Posh and Posher v An Alienated Underclass (Indeed)

While the selfish chattering classes have been obsessing about the pre-supposed status of a university education for their offspring, the forgotten underprivileged in society do not sit idly by ... they join a gang ... they riot.

Earlier this year Januaria penned this piece for Andrew Neil's BBC Blog

Privilege has always bought advancement, and will continue to do so.

The demise of the meritocracy may be the result of the failed policy of left-wing egalitarianism, which in educational output, has resulted in constantly lowering standards of competence.

This has and still does manifest itself in an over reliance on worthless paper qualifications, coupled with the political will of recent governments to encourage and enable a policy of ‘degrees for all’, without regard to inherent aptitude.

The proliferation of universities during the time of the previous government, with scant regard to providing for a practical and vocational skills-based workforce, is an unrealistic policy, both socially and economically.

The emphasis on Tony Blair’s vision of university places for 50% is naïve and of little use when many of the student population still do not possess competent levels of literacy and numeracy on leaving school.

We are churning out a stream of quasi-literate individuals, of whom the vast majority are unable to compete with a privately educated Oxbridge elite.

The solution is the redistribution of resources from overburdened higher education, towards effective practical and developmental education during school years, and major investment in vocational and skills training.

23rd Mar 2011, Januaria

Ref:
Posh and posher indeed

Andrew Neil | 11:18 UK time, Thursday, 17 March 2011

A new report from the much respected international think-tank of rich countries, the OECD, sheds light on some of the social mobility and education themes I touched on in my recent BBC2 documentary Posh & Posher.

The Broch Coo 'an ode to the victims of the Japanese Tsunami'

I thocht I heard the Broch coo
It didnae frighten me
It sang a sang o' gentle pain
And dragged me out tae sea!

We floated out and crossed the bar
And turned towards the west
She bellowed gently in my ear
'Ye didnae bring yer vest!'

We floated on into the mirk
Until great Triton blew
We swirled, and dirled, and held
our wheest
Then paddled out of view

I woke, I slept, I raged, I wept

But all in vain twas 'ere

We sank beneath the steel grey wave

To end our days down there

Scroggie Januaria, March 2011

Illustration:  Sunset Song, Jane Cartney, 2011
© Oraculumsulmareexcoeurd'Ecosse & Jane Cartney