|
English young people are the most illiterate in the developed world
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Vector A |
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/young-peop...ys-oecd-1540711
| quote: | Young people in England are the most illiterate in the developed world with many students graduating with only a basic grasp of English and maths, an in-depth analysis by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has found.
The OECD report rated English teenagers aged 16 to 19 the worst of 23 developed nations in literacy and 22nd of 23 in numeracy. In contrast, pensioners or those close to retirement were among the highest-ranked of their age group.
England had nine million people of working age with low literacy or numeracy skills, it said.
The number of low-skilled people aged 16 to 19 was three times higher than in top-performing countries such as Finland, Japan, Korea and the Netherlands. South Korea came top of the list for literacy — assessed by the ability to read and answer questions on a text — and numeracy.
The report, based on 2012 data, said although half a million students had started degrees last autumn, money would be better spent cutting the number of undergraduates and investing in basic education. |
Lots of little Googoolys growing up there, it seems! |
|
|
| DJ RANN |
You know, this really doesn't surprise me;
Even when i was growing up, there was such a big divide between those you knew were going to go to uni, and those that weren't even going to make it through secondary school.
The other problem (and something the Berner's aren't aware of) is the fact free university isn't actually always a great thing.
There's millions of people in the with completely redundant degrees (some even have several) that just go to Uni because it's a way to get lashed for 3 years and have the whole student lifestyle thing continue for a few more years. I bumped in to an old friend last year. he went to Uni has two degrees from a great uni and works in my local off license. My sister is only marginally better with degrees.
So many people get degrees that do nothing for them in terms of a career and all that free tuition would be better spent educating the bottom and younger end of the population. |
|
|
| SYSTEM-J |
Yeah, this doesn't surprise me at all. The education system in this country is ed. I've heard horror stories about what kids get taught now. Even when I was 15 and sitting my GCSEs, the higher level maths paper was the only way to get above a C grade. Out of about 120 kids in my school year, literally five of us were taught the stuff for that paper, and we had to do it in a half dozen lunchtime classes at the end of the year. On the exam paper there were questions I had never seen before. How I got an A I'll never know. And yet these "higher" questions seem to be standard knowledge to other nationalities. When I did A Level maths at 17 the international students were bored stiff by how easy it was, but we were being taught this for the very first time.
That was ten years ago now. I've heard things have only deteriorated. |
|
|
| Lira |
South Koreans are cheating, they use a much easier alphabet :p
I'm looking for the bloody report, when I click the link it just gets me to the OECD homepage and I'm now stuck reading about middle-income countries... Where's the bit about high-income ones?! |
|
|
| Alex |
| Brits are still the best at yelling at idiots, not showing emotions very often and they form "the best" queues. |
|
|
| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by Alex
Brits are still the best at yelling at idiots, not showing emotions very often and they form "the best" queues. |
This summaries one of my favourite London memories.
I was at the entrance of a tube station and there was this queue of people going down the stairs, and I went with the flow. Then, out of the nowhere, a very calm beggar came in the opposite direction yelling nonchalantly at the crowd "This is London, you ing tourists, you're all going the wrong ing direction and you're too obtuse to read the ing signs!" over and over again.
It couldn't get any more English even if he did that sipping tea :p |
|
|
| Alex |
I've been to the UK a few times, and drank at what people there call "locals" I guess, pretty sure it means a particular person's local pub or whatever.
Anyway, I was staying in Leyton in East London and was drinking at this place called The Birkbeck, and the entire night was very quiet and relaxing until some super drunk dude started annoying everyone at the place and like 5 or 6 old dudes just started yelling at him super loud until he left, then they went back to drinking.
I love how they all love to drink, but will instantly start yelling at anyone who is disrupting their drinking by having had too much to drink. :stongue: |
|
|
| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by Alex
I was staying in Leyton in East London |
Me too! Don't tell me you also stayed with a Portuguese family :p |
|
|
| ViceroySF |
How many times have you been to the UK? Have you met any British people in your life from Scotland to Wales?
Do you know how Media works? the publishing industry, the newspaper industry?
Do you draw your conclusions from things you read online? I used to do that. |
|
|
| Lira |
Have you ever wrapped the Union Jack around your body, boarded a train to Manchester, and upon your arrival picked a fight with the locals?
Have you ever masturbated furiously to The Sun's page 3 and as you reached the vinegar strokes yelled "The British are coming!"?
Have you ever gathered past issues of the Daily Mail and lit a huge bonfire to summon the spirit of Winston Churchill so you two can have some cheeky Nando's together later in the evening?
Have you ever really put a donk on it?
I used to do that. |
|
|
| DJ RANN |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
Have you ever wrapped the Union Jack around your body, boarded a train to Manchester, and upon your arrival picked a fight with the locals?
Have you ever masturbated furiously to The Sun's page 3 and as you reached the vinegar strokes yelled "The British are coming!"?
Have you ever gathered past issues of the Daily Mail and lit a huge bonfire to summon the spirit of Winston Churchill so you two can have some cheeky Nando's together later in the evening?
Have you ever really put a donk on it?
I used to do that. |
So close, but not quite marmite.
1, It's a St.George flag (we only use the union jack when Scotland or Wales win something and we need to remind them who's boss).
2, you only yell that when about to colonize an American girl's face
3, Burning daily mails only summons the spirit of Jimmy Saville and before you know it you're on a cancer ward getting buggered by a white haired nonce in a tracksuit. |
|
|
| Lira |
Ooops, sorry, I used to do that so long ago I misremember everything :p
Beginner's question: Doesn't Jimmy Saville only harass you if you're under 18? |
|
|
|
|
