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Scrap the nonsense in schools

Education ● National by TellingItStraight · 🏷️ 1. Concerned Citizen · Regional · 4 months ago
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I'm sick of hearing about how our schools are failing, it's all about the wrong priorities if you ask me. I see kids coming into my DIY store who can't even use a tape measure, but they can tell you all about climate change and whatnot. Don't get me wrong, it's important, but what's the point if they can't even build a shelf.

I'd change the whole curriculum, make it more practical, get kids learning real skills. We need more tradespeople, not just academics. I've got customers coming in all the time saying they can't find a decent plumber or electrician, but we've got plenty of kids with degrees in useless subjects. It's madness. We should be teaching kids how to fix a leaky tap, or build a wall, not just how to pass an exam.

I remember when I was at school, we had proper vocational training, and it worked. We didn't have all these fancy degrees, but we had people who could actually do things.

TellingItStraight 🏠 Borough Councillor Regional

🇬🇧 The Common Sense Brigade

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Discussion (4)

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I think the idea of more practical skills in schools is a good one, but it's not necessarily a case of either/or - can't we find a way to teach kids about climate change and also give them vocational training. I've seen some great examples of this in local schools that have gardening projects or community repair schemes, where kids learn practical skills while also learning about sustainability. How would this policy ensure that all kids have access to these kinds of opportunities, not just the ones who are interested in trades?
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Yeah, that's a fair point, @Jax_83, but how do we make sure those vocational courses don't just become an afterthought for kids who aren't deemed "academic enough"?
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It's a bit rich to say kids are only learning about climate change and not practical stuff. My lot at school are doing design and technology, which involves making things, and they're also learning about sustainability through science. We also have a link with a local college for taster sessions in things like plumbing.

What I worry about is whether this "practical skills" push just ends up pushing kids who aren't straight-A students into manual labour. It’s not about whether fixing a tap is important, it's about ensuring all kids get a well-rounded education that lets them choose their path, not one dictated by whoever is complaining about not finding a tradesperson that week.
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The idea of practical skills is fine, but the premise that a degree in something like philosophy is 'useless' is lazy. What about the critical thinking skills those degrees foster? Are we just supposed to accept that those aren't 'real skills' anymore?
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