Fine buildings, sparkling labs and spectacular classrooms are on the increase - but ne'er forget that this has coincided with the relentless 'dumbing down' of the system by using examination cutoff points to hide the failings.
In recent times, I have taught in a good comprehensive and a small private school and know whereof I speak.
One of our greatest problems is that the children themselves have deteriorated. We know that IQs fell over several generations and today's lifestyles encourage the production of children with a superficial facade of being educated when in actual fact, they are simply shallow.
This is not their fault but results from mindless TV, silly and often spiritually damaging computer games, Facebook, non-stop texting and an acceptance that knowledge pure and simple is not worth the effort.
How many children of 14 today could answer these general knowledge questions? Surely, these youngsters should know these things. Education keeps down with 'where the kids are'.
Anyway:
1) In which county is St Albans?
2) Which town was called Lindum by the Romans?
3) What is the capital of Hungary?
4) Who invented the telephone?
5) What and where is the M25?
(I hope you got 'em all, dear British readers!)
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