UKIP!

[doodab]

That is sort self selecting only the high earners can afford the child care. Its sad we will drive the bright industrious mothers back to work and exclude the ones that professional childcare could help by exposing the kids to a different values.

I think it's subtler than that, and I see it as more of a problem for those who don't want to go back to work. Only those with high earning partners have the choice. Most middle earners are forced back into employment by the fact the household relies on having two wage earners, although they might prefer to raise their own children and childcare becomes a significant expense. Low earners are generally ****ed in all ways.

[doodab]

The idea that higher education is a right for all is a daft socialist idea we need to abandon.

I both agree and disagree. We need to stop thinking of education as a "right" that only benefits the individual and see it in aggregate as something that benefits the nation. In a modern high skill
knowledge based economy it's one's duty to become as educated as possible. Anything else is letting the side down.

I think the fundamental problem here is that we've turned it into a market where people can choose what they study willy nilly and institutions have started offering some very silly degrees in response. We need a central body that simply doesn't allow degrees in knitting to exist. By all means have a diploma in knitting studies but don't try and put it on an equal footing with a proper degree FFS. It would also help if we provided scolarships (i.e. free education) in economically desirable subjects i.e. STEM, medicine etc.

[vetran]

I think it's subtler than that, and I see it as more of a problem for those who don't want to go back to work. Only those with high earning partners have the choice. Most middle earners are forced back into employment by the fact the household relies on having two wage earners, although they might prefer to raise their own children and childcare becomes a significant expense. Low earners are generally ****ed in all ways.

Well most child minders round here tend to get children from professionals if they can (we tend to prefer teachers), they are normally a lot less trouble.

I have seen a lass who was getting free child care to go back to college. She got pregnant at 16 with transitory boyfriend, this was replaced with 'daddy' number 2 once boyfriend one disappeared. she attended about half a day a week, she was late whenever she turned up. If the government hadn't been paying the child minder wouldn't have touched them as its unlikely they would have got paid.

The normal experience is that professionals are better payers. They want to pay and keep the child minder happy.

[doodab]

Well most child minders round here tend to get children from professionals if they can (we tend to prefer teachers), they are normally a lot less trouble.

Those are the sort of middle earners I'm referring to.

[Zero Liability]

I both agree and disagree. We need to stop thinking of education as a "right" that only benefits the individual and see it in aggregate as something that benefits the nation. In a modern high skill
knowledge based economy it's one's duty to become as educated as possible. Anything else is letting the side down.

I think the fundamental problem here is that we've turned it into a market where people can choose what they study willy nilly and institutions have started offering some very silly degrees in response. We need a central body that simply doesn't allow degrees in knitting to exist. By all means have a diploma in knitting studies but don't try and put it on an equal footing with a proper degree FFS. It would also help if we provided scolarships (i.e. free education) in economically desirable subjects i.e. STEM, medicine etc.

Since most educational institutions are state-funded, an alternative would be to cut funding for pointless degrees, both for the college/university and the individual applying to the course. I've yet to see the likes of BPP or Kaplan offer stupid courses, this mostly seems to be an issue with colleges and universities. I think it strongly correlates with the fact that the individual is paying for the course out of their own pocket, so it had best have some "investment" value to them.

[vetran]

Those are the sort of middle earners I'm referring to.

indeed, sorry was trying to agree with you.

[doodab]

indeed, sorry was trying to agree with you.

Cool

It's something I've noticed living among the seriously wealthy of Marylebone & Wimbledon village. A far higher proportion (I would say most TBH) mothers wealthy enough to have the choice don't work, they prefer to raise their children.

I think it's an unintended consequence of feminism. What started out as giving primarily middle class women the option to work has ended up denying many of them the choice.

[IR35 Avoider]

Since most educational institutions are state-funded, an alternative would be to cut funding for pointless degrees.

I've long thought that universities need to take some accountability for the quality of their degrees. At the moment it's only taxpayers and students who lose out when money is wasted.

One way to enforce this is for government to claw back any written off student loans from the institute in question. (Also claw-back pro-rata any subsidy.) It should be possible to make some predictions about which degrees are going to be less cost-effective, and get the institutions to start making payments on account as soon as the loan/subsidy amounts are paid out.

[vetran]

Cool

It's something I've noticed living among the seriously wealthy of Marylebone & Wimbledon village. A far higher proportion (I would say most TBH) mothers wealthy enough to have the choice don't work, they prefer to raise their children.

I think it's an unintended consequence of feminism. What started out as giving primarily middle class women the option to work has ended up denying many of them the choice.

be careful what you wish for hey?

[speling bee]

Since most educational institutions are state-funded, an alternative would be to cut funding for pointless degrees, both for the college/university and the individual applying to the course. I've yet to see the likes of BPP or Kaplan offer stupid courses, this mostly seems to be an issue with colleges and universities. I think it strongly correlates with the fact that the individual is paying for the course out of their own pocket, so it had best have some "investment" value to them.

PPE should be first to go.