World of work deserves same respect in school as academia

IN reply to John Senior’s letter entitled “Technical Difficulties” (Yorkshire Post, February 10), I agree it is a great pity that vocational qualifications are regarded as of lower value than GCSEs.

All qualifications should be assessed on their own merits and not compared one with another.

Vocational training is usually geared to the world of work, whereas GCSEs are geared to academic study, very often leading to further such study with the intention of preparing students for attendance at a university or colleges.

Governments over the last 10-20 years have tried to make all schools and qualifications the same, cutting out competition and the possibility of failure.

Hence these stupid examination league table results and setting one school against another, resulting in parents scrambling to get their children into what appears to be the best schools.

We appear to be losing sight of the fact that all children are not the same; some are more suited to academic study, whereas others would do better following a vocational type of study.

Nowadays the latter may lead to a job at some stage of it, compared with more academic study leading to a degree which may not do so.

University students also of course incurred a substantial debt during their studies, and it is quite important for them to get the type of job relative to their studies if they are to have any chance of repaying the debt.

My sympathy is with parents who have to try and guide their children down the right path.

It must, I think, begin with parents recognising their child’s own abilities and aptitude, and then showing interest and constant encouragement without applying undue pressure on them to do well at everything.

Life is about competition, success and failure and learning from this if one is to achieve one’s full potential in life.

From: John Holland, Lindeth Road, Silverdale, Carnforth, Lancashire.

AFTER a working life in education, I am appalled at Vince Cable’s appointment of Prof Les Ebdon to oversee university student recruitment.

Such an appointment should not be in Mr Cable’s remit in any case.

I come from what today would be described as a financially deprived background.

My parents had only elementary school education. I went to Heckmondwike Grammar School and on to Christ Church, Oxford with no need for the likes of Prof Ebdon.

Indeed I would have regarded such pressure on the college as insulting.

We cannot afford Mr Cable’s egalitarian whims nor Prof Ebdon’s class war. Our best universities need to be protected from this.

Mr Cameron needs to exert authority as the Prime Minister and as the one responsible for the formation of the Queen’s government.

He needs to risk the split with the Lib Dems if he wishes to retain respect.