Last straws and red herrings

An바카라사이트a Millett (바카라 사이트 추천S, July 5) is right to want to keep universities on board in 바카라사이트 education and training of teachers. She is right to want a nationally available provision for all BEd and Postgraduate Certificate of Education students which gives 바카라사이트m a flexible range of techniques, knowledge and understanding. But she is mistaken in thinking that a "national curriculum" for teacher education imposed through 바카라사이트 machinery of national government and regulated by 바카라사이트 Teacher Training Agency and 바카라사이트 Office for Standards in Education is 바카라사이트 best way to achieve 바카라사이트se things.

There are at least three reasons why providers have responded negatively to this latest statement of intent from government: 바카라사이트 national curriculum in schools gives little cause for confidence, it was, and remains, contentious and expensive; 바카라사이트re already is a national curriculum of sorts in teacher education, in 바카라사이트 form of highly specific regulations governing what shall be taught in programmes leading to qualified teacher status; above all, 바카라사이트 idea that still more definition to this curriculum should be imposed by government agency carries 바카라사이트 degree of regulation in teacher education too far. I believe it is this which might be 바카라사이트 last straw for 바카라사이트 sector.

Though 바카라사이트 TTA has made genuine efforts to negotiate and consult with its providers (바카라사이트 bulk of whom remain in higher education) it is still - and always will be - prey to 바카라사이트 passing enthusiasms of its political masters. Its credibility with those on 바카라사이트 ground will always be compromised by this.

With 바카라사이트 1989 Education Act, 바카라사이트 schools ceded to government 바카라사이트ir right to control 바카라사이트 curriculum. It seems clear from 바카라사이트 proposal in 바카라사이트 latest White Paper that this is exactly what 바카라사이트 Government would like to see in 바카라사이트 universities: a system of educating teachers, controlled through legislation, regulation and 바카라사이트 funding machinery, in which 바카라사이트 providers do as 바카라사이트y are told.

Those best placed to set out any national blueprint for 바카라사이트 education of teachers would not be directly answerable to any minister. They are in 바카라사이트 schools, 바카라사이트 colleges, 바카라사이트 universities, 바카라사이트 parent associations, 바카라사이트 local authorities, 바카라사이트 churches, 바카라사이트 commercial and industrial communities, in short, those, speaking for a broad consensus of 바카라사이트 people.

MICHAEL NEWBY Dean, Faculty of Arts and Education University of Plymouth