Sunday 8 May 2005

NCEA resignations: Et tu Billy?

I have to assume from Bill English's frequently repeated calls for the resignation of those responsible for the disastrous NCEA qualification - here's the latest - that he is either stupid or else refreshingly irony-free.

On his past performances either of course is possible, but I do look forward to Bill calling for the head of his National colleague Lockwood Smith, who some people still remember as the Minister responsible for implementing the whole sorry NZQA/NCEA/Unit Standard bollocks in the first place, and of fellow Nat-Brat Nick Smith who presided over the resulting and inevitable decline in educational standards (Unit Standards in being able to use a fax, anyone?).

And, as many of you will no doubt recall, the whole NCEA/NZQA implementation process was accompanied by the loud and sustained applause of both Smith-Person's Cabinet colleagues at the time - of which Bill himself was a thrusting young member - so maybe Billy-Boy will fall on his sword as well, just to show Karen van Rooyen how such things are done?

To point out the culpability of these National Party luminaries in the present disaster is not to remove any responsility for it from this Government or from Trevor Mallard - who are as much to blame as the National Party for the whole sorry shambles - it is to make the point that it doesn't matter which party is in Government as long as they allow the Ministry of Education complete control over this country's factory school system.

From the libertarian point of view, they're all culpable. It's time to take back the schools from all the above.

3 comments:

Berend de Boer said...

Can't agree more. And if people would want a politically realistic shot at that, they should vote ACT.

Anonymous said...

The state of education really is horrendous - I feel for the kids who will be on the back foot careerwise due to the NCEA. I don't think anyone is going to pick this up and run with it as an election issue in any meaningful way - the socialism is too entrenched.

Peter Cresswell said...

Ruth, you said: "I don't think anyone is going to pick this up and run with it as an election issue in any meaningful way - the socialism is too entrenched."

I agree with you. Unless they're going to remove Ministry control of education then any promises are just worthless wishful thinking.

AL, it seems a lot of National's smarmy bastards are forgetful of who exactly brought in or were cheerleaders for what they're now complaining about. And it's not just National's luminaries who are forgetful, is it?

Berend, I do appreciate your sense of humour. :-)