Tony Polson wrote:
wrote:
On Thu, 4 Jun 2009 09:32:07 -0700 (PDT)
wrote:
least for the top 50% academically) has been a success. Given that all
measures (including international skills comparisons, not just
qualifications) show the median adult is indeed more skilled than 25
years ago, that's a strong sign that the answer to both questions is
yes.

If thats the case then they're not learning these skills at school because
when contemporary kids have been given old O or A level papers in a couple
of TV shows they flunk badly. And if a modern paper seems easier when put
side by side with an old one then it probably is.


It isn't difficult for "the median adult" to appear more skilled than 25
years ago when almost 50% go on to University now compared with less
than 20% then. However, the truth is that when comparing standards of
education on a like-for-like basis, in the last 25 years they have gone
down significantly.

It is perhaps inevitable that entry standards have had to be lowered to
allow the top 50% in, rather than the top 20%.