Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Andy Burnham: Lamb to the slaughter

Andy Burnham, the new Culture Secretary, was on Today this morning. It almost seemed as though someone had set him up...A bizarre initiation ceremony organised by mischievous civil servants to make the minister look like a complete twit.

"Every school child should get five hours of "high quality culture" per week according to new government plans" was the trailer headline.

Andy Burnham was put through the shredder by John Humphrys, who used the simple ruse of asking the questions "When?" and "How?" five hundred times. The mischievous civil servants must have been sniggering into their morning tea.

What in the name of Sam Hill was the Culture Secretary on the radio talking about education? He didn't have a clue what he was talking about in respect to the National Curriculum.

And what the heck is the government doing giving out Stalinist diktats saying all children should do five hours culture per week? ...When they have already given diktats about literacy, numeracy and sport with timings attached?

Actually, it is completely stupid and bonkers.

But what Burnham didn't properly highlight is that if you look at the national curriculum, there's already a lot of culture (according to his own examples) in the curriculum. So it's not an additional five hours. It can't be. It's impossible without dropping high priority subjects.

The silly sausage Burnham, when asked for examples, mentioned: creative writing. Creative writing is already in the curriculum the silly numpty! New media was mentioned - it's already in the curriculum. Art, including the study of famous artists, dance, singing, music...it's all already in the curriculum. Plus there are school clubs which do things like "broadcasting skills" (Video Club) which the minister mentioned. And many parents arrange extra classes for things like ballet, modern dancing, drama etc

Burnham kept on mentioning his own constituency. Doesn't he realise that he covers the whole country as a minister? He kept on saying "that's why we're doing a pilot". Well, why make the directive of "5 hours" then until you've done the pilot? 5 hours culture on only £15 a pupil a year?! It's a farce!

Burnham pathetically mentioned visiting a theatre or museum in Liverpool. Well, that's 5 hours sorted. How about the other 200 hours a year?

Don't get me wrong. I am all for culture. But giving a directive of "5 hours" on top of everything else is just daft. And getting a new culture secretary, not the Education sercretary (sorry, I am darned if I am going to use the new departmental titles - they're daft) to explain it?

Poor old Andy Burnham. Lamb to the slaughter.

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