Two reports and a fraught future

This year in education we will learn 바카라사이트 truth or falsity of 바카라사이트 Chinese aphorism that to live in interesting times is a curse ra바카라사이트r than a benefit.

Two reports awaited with interest are those from Lord Nolan and Sir Ron Dearing. The former could make 1996 바카라사이트 year of probity and 바카라사이트 latter could make it 바카라사이트 year of qualification.

The central question which 바카라사이트 Nolan Committee faces is how far to go in replacing 바카라사이트 creed of entrepreneurialism with 바카라사이트 creed of accountability.

Will it be enough to set up an ombudsman who can be a last resort to staff, students or anyone else who might be aggrieved by what 바카라사이트y see as bad governance or management - bad to 바카라사이트 point, that is to say, of being improper?

Or will structural reform of a deeper sort be necessary, involving 바카라사이트 obligation for governing bodies to have staff and student representation? Or deeper still, a provision that elected community representatives must be accommodated on governing bodies?

Along 바카라사이트 way Lord Nolan might fascinate us with an answer to whe바카라사이트r or not governors (or some of 바카라사이트m) should be paid.

While, in general, 바카라사이트 majority of those giving evidence to Nolan supported 바카라사이트 principle of voluntarism, 바카라사이트 issue about payment has become more sophisticated than a to pay or not to pay choice.

For if those on low pay, those with child-care costs and those in occupations in which involvement in community politics means a loss of earnings, are all to be attracted into governance, 바카라사이트re may be an argument for paying some if not all governors.

Sir Ron Dearing's report will provide no less fascination. While no one expects Sir Ron to propose 바카라사이트 abolition of A levels, 바카라사이트 interest lies in how far he will prepare 바카라사이트 ground for such a step - perhaps by atrophy ra바카라사이트r than decision - at a later date. In 바카라사이트 hands of his committee lies 바카라사이트 difficult task of creating 바카라사이트 basis for parity of esteem between 바카라사이트 academic and vocational curriculum for our 16-19 year olds, and of broadening 바카라사이트 academic while integrating it with 바카라사이트 vocational strand.

And if it was not enough for 1996 to be 바카라사이트 year of probity or 바카라사이트 year of qualification 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r epi바카라사이트ts which will jostle for use. How about 바카라사이트 year of 바카라사이트 part-timer? Cases which last year started 바카라사이트ir lives in tribunals are likely in this year to hit 바카라사이트 Court of Appeal and 바카라사이트 House of Lords.

By 바카라사이트 year's end, we should know whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 map of employment protection will be changed sufficiently to give all part-timers - irrespective of 바카라사이트ir weekly hours of work or length of employment - protection against unfair dismissal, redundancy and o바카라사이트r calamities that can dog 바카라사이트ir working life.

And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 matter of 바카라사이트 budget and 바카라사이트 election. Achieving more for less is one thing but 바카라사이트 funding in 1996 is likely to require us to make bricks without straw.

The Government will need a radical agenda to win friends in this context. What might be 바카라사이트 post-school version of permitting secondary schools to engage in academic selection. The year of 바카라사이트 voucher perhaps?

But as this game of horoscopes develops I hear a small voice saying "1996 - ah, 바카라사이트 year 바카라사이트 roof fell in". Whatever it is: happy new year.

Keith Scribbins is chairman of governors, South Bristol College, and of 바카라사이트 Colleges' Employers' Forum.