Letters to the editor – 07/08 – Human ingenuity, Education reform, Best of Twitter
Human ingenuity
[Re: All hail the boffin burger: The next step in human nutrition, yesterday]
We’re proud of our chefs for their innovative dishes. But experimentation can also help in tackling the age-old problem of food scarcity. Ideas like this artificial burger are becoming a reality, promising an age of cheap and nutritious food. Yet too often our political classes play the luddite, blocking the path of progress to our plates. Perhaps they can afford to pay for organic grub – but others are feeling the pinch as the real wage squeeze drags on. It’s high time we embraced forward-thinking technologies like GM crops.
Chris Payton
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Education reform
[Re: Michael Gove’s illiteracy crusade will have huge benefits for our economy, yesterday]
Around 93 per cent of all students are educated in the state sector. Of the 438,000 teachers who teach them, 324,000 are members of the National Union of Teachers. According to a 2010 BBC panorama investigation, over the past 40 years, only 18 teachers have been struck off for incompetence. This is worrying when you consider how many primary school children are illiterate. Michael Gove has a big challenge ahead: he needs to take on these unions and ensure they put nurturing pupils above the interests of their members.
Sheila Cox
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BEST OF TWITTER
Dogs guard homes and businesses from crime. New laws will limit people’s ability to protect themselves.
@RichardWellings
Classic example why Eurozone can’t work. Labour market is not flexible between different regions.
@minefornothing
Evidence UK is moving from rescue to recovery: retail sales, manufacturing output and car registrations up.
@matthancockmp
Some of the top salaries at aid charities are modest compared to big health groups.
@cjsnowdon