Big Brother Gets Ever Closer.

[jambutty]

Gordon Brown says the government may introduce penalties to force youngsters to stay in education or training until the age of 18.

This Draconian intention is only going to be applicable to England, which raises another unrelated issue of Scottish MP’s voting on English issues but that is a different topic.

I applaud the government for trying to tackle the problems associated with kids leaving school at 16, not finding gainful employment and ending up, for want of a better description, on ‘skid row’. Youngsters leaving school should be able to find apprenticeships or training for work but FORCED TO? An unequivocal NO!

ENCOURAGED – GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY - YES!

However before the government approaches that problem they should tackle the major problem of far too many children leaving school barely able to read and write with simple arithmetic a complete mystery.

My milk lady collects her money once every five weeks and it is usually her daughter who knocks on my door. She is about 12 years old and last Friday I handed over two tenners, a fiver and six fifty pence pieces, with the words, “£28 is the money right”.

I was stunned by the reply of, “I don’t know.”

[***Mr D***]

SOme kind of National Service for those that dont wish to be further educated or go into work.

The 12 yr old collecting the money might not of known how much you bill was for. (hence she didnt know if it was the right amount) as you are a regular customer they know you will give the exact money. But at least she is helping her mum.

[WillowTheWhisp]

It amazes me how shop assistants struggle to add up - they depend so much on automatic tills these days which even tell them how much change to give. I'm automatically working it out in my head before the till tells them the answer.

[jambutty]

The 12 years old has been collecting my milk money for many months and she knows that it is £28. In any case she wouldn’t have been sent to my door without knowing how much to collect.

If you were a milkman and sent your son/daughter to collect the money, wouldn’t you at least tell him/her how much to collect?

What she couldn’t do is add up the 6 fifty pences.

[Ianto.W.]

***Mr D***, Some kind of National Service for those that dont wish to be further educated or go into work.

It would not be feasable to inflict them on the armed forces if they have no communication skills.