Forum Topic

Educational divide

There seems to  be an educational divide. Eg those with laptop and broadband and those without. As usual the goverment seems to be late in doing anything. Why not have wi fi on council tax? It would work out very cheap.

Nicholas Beard ● 2315d42 Comments

Is there a single thing you are happy with?Why should my council tax be increased to pay for those who cannot be arsed to pay for wifi?

Paul Fisher ● 2315d

The wifi could be voluntary. The council would be able to secure a really good deal for residents by huge volume demand. Many parents are now very worried with the lockdown and their children slipping behind. This will only make us more un competitive as a country in the future.

Nicholas Beard ● 2315d

As usual Nicholas you seem to think every problem is to be solved by government.  This is wrong, It leads to attitudes of dependency and weakness.Let's hear about ideas to address the problem you have highlighted involving personal initiative and the private sector.

Andy Riley ● 2315d

The idea of the 'undeserving poor', 'strivers and skivers' and 'self-sufficiency' is so embedded in the present system that even the victims believe it's true and think that nothing can change and it's their own fault, which is, of course, the object of exercise. If 'personal initiative and the private sector' were the answer, they'd have solved all our problems by now and we wouldn't be in our present mess.  Meaningful government intervention is always needed to counterbalance the effect of business interests.  And wasn't there something in the Labour manifesto about universal broadband?  That would have been useful. Such a shame the great British public voted against it, conditioned as they were to be suspicious of 'free stuff'!

Peter Evans ● 2315d

Peter I have just read this morning that the American government is to buy $300 billion of American farmers food. Funny private enterprise is not sorting it. Is that a sort of subsidy? America is giving some of their airlines help as is numerous European governments. We are giving BA nothing. However post Brexit we are disagreeing with the no subsidy rule!!

Nicholas Beard ● 2315d

It's more of a fact that the'free broadband' idea came across to many of us like a last minute, back of a fag packet moment, a slightly desperate incentive to persuade you to buy something.It is also not the only thing that many people did not like about the Labour manifesto,and people did not reject just that aspect of it.

Keith Iddon ● 2315d

BA & IAG are among the the airlines and airports that brought this Virus unchecked into this island. Having quarantine introduced at the end of this month is insane. It should have been nearly 3 months ago when the cruise ship people were quarantined whilst this arriving independently by air from infected regions walked through airports unchecked and into the country. All mentioned but not actioned.The aviation authorities and govt worldwide were way too slow and this being an island could have been so much better protected.It might have hit the aviation industry hard but probably have not hit the rest of commerce so hard to bailing out aviation might have been the smaller price to pay

Raymond Havelock ● 2315d

Of course, I'd forgotten that many times the government does step in is to rescue failing private businesses, so that profit remains private but the risk becomes public.

Peter Evans ● 2315d

Pity the same generosity has never been extended to the Steel industry...........................

Vanessa Smith ● 2315d

Not sure EU 'rules' permitted that, although Italy seemed to body swerve them.

Keith Iddon ● 2315d

I believe that their are some charities accepting donated laptops and ipads etc so that they can be reused by school children to do their schoolwork on.  I agree about the internet.  We found when we were caring for parents it was invaluable for us to install it at parents' house allowing us to work but I know of others who would not have it installed making it difficult for those trying to help them.The elderly can become very unreasonable and unaccepting of any change.  Heavy marketing and all this changing of contracts re electricity and gas is also a PINTA.  Too much fragmentation.

Philippa Bond ● 2314d

Philippa if you only need the internet for a given period as I once did. I found BT- fon was good but a bit pricey.

Nicholas Beard ● 2314d

Thank you.  We managed because FIL accepted that it meant we were less stressed because we could keep an eye on what was going on at work and with the rest of the family and deal with any of the things he needed doing more easily.  There is a danger of increased isolation and inability to easily deal with issues if you over control and are tunnecessarily penny-pinching.It is thr job of Govt to providd a safety-net.

Philippa Bond ● 2302d

If you have a spare computer...http://www.hounslowspromise.org/connectingkidshome.html

Guy Lambert ● 2302d

Another great post Guy.

Philippa Bond ● 2301d

Boris said yesterday broadbands, laptops, and I pads will be given to children without them.

Nicholas Beard ● 2297d

Is he sending Dom out to deliver them?

Vanessa Smith ● 2297d

Problem is that unless it is a spare current computer it is useless.I've given 3 applemacs away and one has been returned and I think the others have simply gone in a skip.They cannot be updated and are so incompatible with operating systems which are fine but not supported by software.Even worse with iPads, 3.5 years and the support is pulled and the apps cannot be updated. Such a waste.

Raymond Havelock ● 2297d

I have been promised an i-pad, apparently it's surplus to requirements since every one was given new ones.  Is it worth me having this free i-pad and learning a new system?  My computer is Microsoft.I have no smart phone or laptop.

Jennifer Selig ● 2296d

#1 it depends how old this iPad is,  as an earlier poster said, they are soon outdated.#2 it depends very much on how interested you are in listening to someone teaching you, and keeping good notes on the instruction.#3 personally I wouldn't be without my iPad, and I never found it hard to figure out. However, I do have a desktop Microsoft machine for banking and such. It is very much a personal thing, if you are willing to investigate (Google) things and use some common sense I think you'd enjoy an iPad.

Audrey Walton ● 2296d

Raymond might reply to you. He seems to know a lot about I Pads. I cannot speak with any authority on them, sorry.

Nicholas Beard ● 2296d

"those with laptop and broadband and those without."I think you would struggle to find anyone with kids  without wifi and mobile phones and laptops in West London these days.

Steve Taylor ● 2286d

iPads are really useful tools and not bad for older people as they have a large screen and are easier than trying to use a smartphone for those with less dexterity, eyesight  and those things that hit you as you get older.But the down side. They are expensive for what they are and are made obsolete by the withdrawal of software support by Apple and their  partners in a very short time. An example of this is the Kindle Book reader app which makes using Kindle on a Bigger screen as well as the amazon book list available on the iPad.Not only is it only now available to the latest iPads, the software for older versions is now impossible to download or reload if you have to rebuild or reinstall your device's software for any reason - which can and does happen.For older people and those with a budget this makes it a very expensive luxury on top of Broadband charges.  For many it's simply not an option.But UK govt and others really ought to get tough with the likes of Apple, Microsoft and software companies for using almost blackmail trading methods which other industries have long been barred from i.e. Car Makers must provide spares and support for 10 years after a car goes out of production.A decent computer or hardware can last a very long time but the amount of stuff that gets rendered fit for the bin is excessive and way to premature when these devices have great secondary and tertiary uses for those who don't want to be at the cutting edge but just in the loop.

Raymond Havelock ● 2286d

iPads are really useful tools and ideal for older people as they have a large screen and are easier than trying to use a smartphone for those with less dexterity, eyesight and those things that hit you as you get older.But the down side. They are expensive for what they are, and are made prematurely obsolete by the withdrawal of software support by Apple and their  partners in a very short time. An example of this is the Kindle Book reader app which makes using Kindle on a Bigger screen as well as the amazon book list available on the iPad. This won't work on iPads just over 3.5 years oldNot only is it only now available to the latest iPads, the software for older versions is now impossible to download or reload if you have to rebuild or reinstall your device's software for any reason - which can and does happen.For older people and those with a budget this makes it a very expensive luxury on top of Broadband charges.  For many it's simply not an option.But UK govt and others really ought to get tough with the likes of Apple, Microsoft and software companies for using almost blackmail trading methods which other industries have long been barred from i.e. Car Makers must provide spares and support for 10 years after a car goes out of production.A decent computer or hardware can last a very long time but the amount of stuff that gets rendered fit for the bin is excessive and way to premature when these devices have great secondary and tertiary uses for those who don't want to be at the cutting edge but just in the loop.

Raymond Havelock ● 2286d

I read the EU is looking into this. They think it is just producing masses of recycling. However you are 100% spot on in your observations. Many thanks for reinforcing what I have thought for a long time.

Nicholas Beard ● 2286d

I think there are more than you think. Poverty here is incredible.

Nicholas Beard ● 2286d

You're right. Hence the need for Seema Malhotra's charity appeal for surplus kithttp://www.hounslowspromise.org/connectingkidshome.htmlDisclaimer - I am the (unpaid) treasurer of this charity

Guy Lambert ● 2285d

It should be remembered that the UN sent an envoy in 2018 to look at poverty and they paid a visit to the Bollo Bridge area.

Nicholas Beard ● 2285d

"It should be remembered that the UN sent an envoy in 2018 to look at poverty"and what did they find?

Steve Taylor ● 2284d

Here's one report:http://www.bristol.ac.uk/poverty-institute/news/2019/un-rapporteur-final-report.htmlThe info on ipads here is good - thank you.  I don't imagine there are tremendous differences are there?  For instance if you get on with a second hand one you might decide to look for another one whereas if you find that you don't - you just won't - and won't have lost s fortune.  If you get something that no-one else has any idea about you'll find it difficult to get help.

Philippa Bond ● 2284d

Young people shut out of society, gentification all around the area. The list is huge. 40% of children soon expected to be in poverty. Even today huge amounts of head teachers have not received received the promised laptops.

Nicholas Beard ● 2284d

Return to school policy is a widening of the education divide as private schools are less effected! 900000 off school for six months or more.

Nicholas Beard ● 2284d

I understand Telecom Romania is offering free 4G access for online learning during Coronavirus lock down. What are we doing? Giving out laptops that headteachers say dont arrive!

Nicholas Beard ● 2284d

Teachers Unions are simply playing politics and want another extension to their long summer break on as always full pay

Paul Fisher ● 2284d

British teachers get very short summer holidays, generally 6 weeks. On the other hand Italian teachers get 13 weeks. As usual we are around the bottom of the league, and our teachers work terribly hard.

Nicholas Beard ● 2284d

There are no after-school clubs which makes it difficult for teachers to work long hours if they have young children themselves.  Grandparents are no longer available to help with childcare.Most teachers have bee working all the time looking after their own children and organising work packs for their classes and marking work and trying to keep tabs on the children whose parents or who themselves have not checked in to the schools that have been open for them the whole time.  It is a complete myth that they have all been on holiday.  Every school is different and new instructions are constantly arriving telling them what they should be doing.  One way systems, extra hand washing facilities, half the number of children in each class so that they can be distanced from each other, the removal of lots of equipment and books and soft toys.  Then deep cleaning before the other half of the class can come back in etc.

Philippa Bond ● 2283d

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-01-07/debates/7B80FBA6-9A43-4255-9CBD-2AEBD7B7BC79/UNSpecialRapporteurOnExtremePovertyAndHumanRightsChild Poverty in the UK in 2020!  6th richest country in the world since Brexit.

Philippa Bond ● 2283d

I always say this. If teaching is so good why are we so short of teachers? There are constant adverts for teachers but many posts remain vacant.

Nicholas Beard ● 2283d

You'd be a brave young person to want to take on the abuse hurled at teachers by out of control, rude, ill-mannered so called children.  My niece had one pupil who bashed her arm through a plate glass window, another drew a gun in class!    This highly experienced language teacher is no longer in the large Comphrensive School - she's in a tiny private village school with 5-6yr olds paid far less but enjoying it and the youngsters are benefiting too.

Jennifer Selig ● 2283d

That is why I get annoyed when on the radio phoneins from time to time they keep on about big holidays massive pensions half term breaks etc. They dont know the real truth.

Nicholas Beard ● 2283d

That's true so it's not all bad being a teacher.

Jennifer Selig ● 2283d

The government is starting to give out vouchers for free BT wi fi access today.

Nicholas Beard ● 2278d