Business chiefs welcome more rigorous exams
EMPLOYERS have welcomed the need for "greater rigour" in light of the new English Baccalaureate Certificate.
The Herald reported earlier this week on pupils and headteachers' concerns over government plans to scrap GCSEs.
Education secretary Michael Gove wants to replace them with the exam-oriented English Baccalaureate Certificate in a bid to halt what he called "grade inflation and dumbing down".
Plymouth Chamber of Commerce chief executive David Parlby embraced the move. "Most employers will welcome the change," he said. "It's a more realistic type of examination.
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"In business, when you make a proposal to make a sale you only have one opportunity and you have to deliver on the day. It's a real life test. You don't get a second chance in business."
Lesley Shorrocks, chair of the Plymouth branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, added: "Employers are often disappointed with the academic standards we see displayed by some young people.
"There is often a poor grasp of English and maths, even though the young people have high GCSE grades. It's not the students' fault – the emphasis on how important these skills are has been downgraded over many years.
"The proof will be in the pudding as far as these changes go, but I think most employers will welcome more rigorous examinations."
However, Plymstock School head and Plymouth Learning Trust chair David Farmer, expressed concerns.
"Do employers want someone with a good memory or someone who can apply themselves?" he said. "It's naturally going to be compared but what about the students with their GCSEs already. It will be interesting to see how will they be viewed.
Comments
by willems
Saturday, September 22 2012, 3:12PM
“A long overdue move,which can only be backed up by re-instituting teaching the 3 Rs from the start.
As it is,the politically correct/obscene dumbing down methods of the last 20 years,have betrayed an entire generation,and left far too many woefully ill-equipped to deal with the demands that must be faced.
Life is a competition,and has to be prepared for,and stifling the brightest,whilst at the same time handing out prizes to all,will only result in a future Nation of dullards.”
by gedonyajanner
Saturday, September 22 2012, 1:21PM
“Generally exams arent worth the paper there printed on. As mentioned an exam or test on the second interview of any job would be much more suitable to an employee rather than going off school exam results which could have been taken years prior.”
by josdave
Saturday, September 22 2012, 12:19PM
“For a long time now employers have been complaining about the low standards of English and Maths in student applicants with GCSE passes. It comes back to the fact, which Parliament always denies, that the exams have been getting easier year on year and had to stop. Now a few students are not getting the grades they expected they are whinging. Making the exams more rigorous will improve standards. Nobody has the right to a high pass mark it has to be obtained by hard work and nothing else.
I have seen a few CVs, with the personal details removed, and the standards of literacy are way below what I would expect to see as a result of a GCSE pass.”
by MissAnthrope
Saturday, September 22 2012, 11:53AM
“A basic adult literacy and numeracy test as part of the interview process is all that is required to weed out the thickies. Mind you, if you pay minimum wage, you get maximum monkeys.”
by JonnyGlenholt
Saturday, September 22 2012, 11:33AM
“Dear Ms Shorrocks,
the phrase you are looking for is 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating.' You just can't get decent employers these days who don't speak in badly remembered stock phrases.”
by Waltersmith
Saturday, September 22 2012, 8:53AM
“This is surely at variance with what Tudor was saying”