I don't think people quite realize how powerful an impact and INFLUENCE the media (newspapers, radio stations, TV) can have on our lives. All it takes is one "reputable" newspaper or journalist to diss the Diploma, and suddenly waves of irrational fear sweep across the educational world erasing all trace of reason and years of work from well respected employers, universities, teachers and government officials alike. If someone doesn't hold the media accountable, they will get away with murder. The Diploma, as we have already established, was developed BY Employers (not by factories down the road, as one statement in this article seems to suggest) but by big names including Logica, BT and Oracle. It was endorsed by Universities, and it has been approved. Period. Unfortunately articles like this one may appeal to the sort of teachers/parents/people in general who don't have the time to make up their own minds by researching the Diploma, so simply go with what an entirely biased (and unfounded) article seems to imply.
Snippets from the article (below) which can be found at:
"Glen Mynott, a teacher from Coventry, was among several NUT delegates to raise fears that the new qualifications would lead to a poorly paid underclass of young people."
Eh?
Two other paragraphs in the article were of particular concern.
"Critics fear that the diplomas are too narrowly focused and will be seen as second best to A levels and GCSEs. Last month Alan Johnson, the Education Secretary, admitted in a speech to head teachers that the diplomas could be seen as the equivalent of secondary moderns to grammar schools, and that the plans for them “could go horribly wrong”.
If they did go "horribly wrong" it'd be because of negative press.
and
"His concerns were echoed by Michael Devern, a primary school teacher from Southwark, in South London. “This is not education, this is training,” he said. “Imagine leaving school at 16 with a diploma that is recognised only by the factory up the road.”
A factory up the road?!?! If that isn't an irrational comment with no solid reasoning behind it whatsoever I don't know what is...
Having said that, I am only referring to the IT Diploma, which I know to be a relevant and undoubtedly better qualification than either the A level or BTEC. If they (whoever 'they' are) were to develop a Diploma in "Hairdressing" or "How to be a low level worker in a factory", I'd be a little concerned....
