TheParagon-Education

I came away from my school as what everyone considered a drop-out, with a few at that time, CSEs (the 70s) and a couple of O' levels. Maggie Thatcher was PM of the day and she decided to close down the apprentiship programmes, just at the time of me leaving school, so there was just no real direction for me to go in other than going to a college or a university. University was out, as I didn't have the grades at that time, this just left me to go to a college. Many of us were undecide on what our future profession was going to be. One could try to repeat another two years to improve grades, O'level/CSE courses to try to improve one's grades and study for a professional qualification, via a college however; by this time, many like me were sick and tired of schooling and wanted instant money in our pockets. Going from school to college for me wasn't really the best course of action, but it was the only one. Political policies may change or so I hoped.

I didn't know I had a barrier to learning and this came in the disguise of dyscalculia, (simply explained as a number blindness, this is very much like dyslexia or a word blindness, but with numbers). Since there was no apprentiship like we see today (2025) it could have offered me further opportunities, perhaps? The problem was to break the pattern or cycle of personal study failure and there were other added distractions such as to the opposite sex to also deal with. By this time, overactive hormones were also an added element.

To cut along story short, from a self-termed dropout, I later identified with dyscalculia after reading about it and could identify my barrier, and derived coping mechanisms or avoided numbers totally, later I explained my problem and this helped me in terms of allowing more time. Further tech became available and most employers wanted me and encouraged me to use a calculator, (as they didn't want to lose money- they encourage all their employees, regardless of their number abilities. I eventually became a post graduate in Education, yes, looking back, it surprised me too! It took me a long time, beyond the average timescale however; I got there, even though my peers considered me to be the familiar dropout, within their mindset. School days are important and tars a person with a negative or positive brush that can follow a person throughout ones life. The lesson is not to place limitations on one's self and to chip away at the task slowly until the goal is met.

It only takes one person to change a person's direction in education, good or bad or in this case of 30 MPs to write individuals off by closing the doors of opportunity is a sledgehammer of political interference, by means of controlling through finance or funding... Some can argue this story is about addressing the poor quality of courses and my reply is that funding is given to these courses through government bureaucrats and is what polititions have been doing for decades. The diverting of finances for personal projects or other questionable pastimes. This can be reflected within our education system today; on the whole,how politicians see education in this country to the value they place on home grown talent. Some students are considered as slow developers from personal and professional experience as within my case, if the door is closed on funding, I would hate to think where I would be now without having the choices. Qualification achievement allows one choice, or so one thinks, (they are still in control of policies), without this opportunity, most are pushed to the wayside...

For those, without an educational 'handicap or barrier', those with money and qualifications they are lucky and it comes easy, more so; especially; if they are in a position of knowing someone in a key position, ('it is not what you know, but who you know'), like having a ghost writer to write ones thesis; one forbids, perhaps for them they are possibly considered as part of an elite and this is what this status gets you.

I worked hard for mine, getting the qualification is one side of the story, the other side is getting the right job at the right salary - Good Luck!

NGW 11.09.23 reviewed 2025 (You may want to read my Main Introductions to this publication) - see Education Menu

Personal note: I have been fortunate to source my own education and qualified in a number of areas, however; it has been a life-long struggle to get work once qualified., and NO! It is not a media studies qualification or a diversity diploma. I feel the government does not value qualifications in this country (UK), unless is comes from the top three universities. The other UK universities seem to flap around looking for funding or staff and they are paid peanuts... (however; most establishments and institutions are showing signs of 'Woke', or 'Cancel' fatigue, perhaps this is the reason). Where is the investment into Training and Development? Will it lead to a good job?
Behaviour in classrooms seem to also be a problem and in 2022 no one in government has addressed it and we wonder why levels of education has dropped. It doesn't seem to matter who is put in charge of education, they are just not getting it! NGW08.22