Educashun

It is commendable that ever since winning orifice, Bliary Poppins has placed educashun at the very heart of the Nanny state.

Indeed his children, and the children of his ministers, have always been well catered for when it comes to their schooling.

As for the rest of the population, well Nanny has thought of them too. She decided that £50M should be spent on removing the ordinary whiteboards from schools, and replacing them with interactive ones.

These things, so it was claimed, would enhance the educashunal experience and enable pupils to learn at their own pace.

Tut tut, Nanny doesn't get it does she?

Pupils learn best in a competitive environment, where the effort is forced out of them to keep up with the best and brightest.

Anyhoo, needless to say it turns out that these interactive boards have been a waste of money. Research indicates that educashunal standards may in fact have fallen, as pupils struggle to keep pace with the fancy graphics and video images.

As with all things Nu Labour, this idea has been very much "form over substance". One of the marked failings, there are so many, of Nu labour has been their reliance on gimmicks and "presentation".

Much like a third rate management presentation, where facts are reduced to bullet points and coloured charts, educashun has followed suit. However, just like a third rate management presentation the pupils have learned nothing new.

A report from London's Institute of Education said:

"Although the newness of the technology was initially

welcomed by pupils any boost in motivation seems short-lived.

Statistical analysis showed no impact on pupil performance

in the first year departments were fully equipped."

The report also noted:

"The focus on interactivity as a technical process

can lead to some relatively mundane activities being over-valued.

Such an emphasis on interactivity was particularly prevalent

in classes with lower-ability students

In lower-ability groups it could actually slow the pace

of whole class learning as individual pupils took turns at the board."

Another failed Nanny "initiative"!