Why was there no recognition that education minister talked nonsense?

It became clear on Tuesday that a strategy known as '˜Learning to Learn' is being employed by the Education Authority chief executive, Gavin Boyd, to decide the fate of a group of vulnerable children with learning difficulties.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Mar 2016, 18:38 BST
Updated 10th Mar 2016, 19:56 BST

This strategy title came from the lips of John O’Dowd, the education minister, but there was no recognition from anyone that he was talking nonsense.

The BBC, in their extensive coverage, also failed to notice that the strategy made absolutely no sense. Do the Education Authority, the Education Minister, Peter Weir MLA or the BBC have no logical faculties?

If one can learn, one has no need to learn-how-to-learn.

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On the other hand, if one can’t learn, then, by definition, one can’t learn-how-to learn.

Therefore, there should be no strategy with the nonsensical title ‘Learning to Learn’.

The policy makers behind this are also behind policies that have led to the withdrawal of the English Awarding Bodies for GCSE and A-levels.

The fate of Northern Ireland’s post-primary children is now entirely in the hands of such local policy makers.

While such people are responsible for our education system, parents should abandon hope for the future.

Stephen Elliott, Chair, the Parental Alliance for Choice in Education

Related topics:John O'DowdBBCEducation MinisterEducation AuthorityStephen ElliottGCSE