UK government agency approves fundamentalist curriculum

[jonnyscaramanga]

Hi everyone,

I am here to pimp a blog post. I realise this looks like a drive-by spamming, since I post here so infrequently, but this matter is so important that I don't care what you think of me as long as you pay attention.

UK government agency Naric has once again endorsed the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum. http://www.ecctis.co.uk/naric/news%20story.aspx?NewsID=106

This is unacceptable, for so many reasons. I'd like to see us all stand up and tell the government, and Naric, that we're not happy about this.

Here's my full blog post on why this is criminal.

http://leavingfundamentalism.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/accelerated-christian-education-validated-by-uk-government-agency/

[klr]

Gove, you twat! [/repeat ad infinitum]

[jonnyscaramanga]

Nothing to do with Gove, for once. Naric is funded by the department for BIS, not education. But I wouldn't expect Gove to see the problem.

[Rum]

I can't see it myself.

[jonnyscaramanga]

What do you mean, Rum?

[Rum]

I worked as an Education officer for a local authority in the later part of my career. I know how these things work and the hoops that have to be jumped through to get anything like this done. Currently there is a commitment to a weird kind of multi-culturalism which results in our schools being 'Christian' but respecting other faiths and religions as something or other.

That wishy washy commitment would stop this sort of curriculum becoming anything other than a minority pursuit - if it got approval at all.

[jonnyscaramanga]

It is a minority pursuit – it's used by 2000 pupils in the UK, probably. There are 60 schools that use it, but they're all tiny.

In my mind, that doesn't make it any less of a problem. Of course, I'm biased because I was in that education system. But – and perhaps this is shooting myself in the foot by using an overly extreme analogy – nobody said of Baby P, "Oh, it's only a minority pursuit so it doesn't matter."

[Rum]

Well faith schools are common of course and they have a right to some flexibility in the National Curriculum, rightly or wrongly.

I'm on your side friend. I have no desire to see religion poison kids' minds and I admire the journey you seem to have traveled, but you may be barking up the wrong tree with this one.

[Audley Strange]

A few things concern me about this. First of all, are "equivalents" to the national curriculum going to be valued by employers? Secondly are such going to mean that Fundies in the employment sector going to recognise their fellow weirdos and discriminate against those who don't have God's O levels?

I can see some kid having no belief but thrust into such a school being denied entry to colleges to do something like a biology degree which is sad, but also I can see the case where such is used to bleat about Christian Persecution.

[rachelbean]

Perhaps most people aren't aware of just how deficient this curriculum is. The English and maths are just fine, but the history and science are absolute jokes. I know because I too had this curriculum. I graduated without even a basic knowledge of the scientific method or theory of evolution. History is just as bad. This isn't a matter of supplemental religious education like you'd get in a catholic school.

[rachelbean]

THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT: viewtopic.php?f=76&t=37812

[Rum]

Let's be clear what the OP and the situation is before people start thinking fundy education is about tio invade our schools here!

ECCTIS - or rather its its offshoot NARIC compare oversees qualifications and do a moderation exercise which compares qualifications so that people here have some idea what they are looking at when someone turns up with a certificate. The link provided by our drive-by blogger was about the exercise done on ACE. It does not approve it for delivery in our schools.

[rachelbean]

I see. Thanks for the clarification, Rum.

[Clinton Huxley]

:irate:

Gove, you twat! [/repeat ad infinitum]

He must hear that so often, he must be starting to believe "Goveyoutwat" is his surname.

[jonnyscaramanga]

I'm trying not to be a drive-by blogger and actually participate – I will start posting in threads other than my own. Promise.

The Naric recommendation doesn't approve the curriculum for UK state schools, no.

It does mean that ACE graduates in the UK can get a certificate from Naric, a government agency, saying their qualification is equivalent to A levels. They can use this to apply to universities in particular (universities use Naric for curriculum comparisons all the time), and also when applying for jobs.

It's a big boost to the 60 such schools in the UK, because it means they can claim their curriculum is recognised on some level. Parents that were on the fence about sending their kids to these schools now feel that their offspring can get into university off them, and are more likely to send them as a result.

I think this matters. If you don't, Rum, then we can agree to disagree on it. I don't understand why you think I'm barking up the wrong tree. For one thing, if Naric makes this judgement, it casts doubt on the credibility of their other evaluations.