Educational Elitism Is Counterproductive

A-level results were released this week and (would you believe it!) the number of A grades went up yet again. Wow, I would never have expected that. And so more students scream with delight for the slavering media without ever really realising that the more A grades there are, the more difficult it is for those students to distinguish themselves from each other. It has now reached the point where universities are having to make students go through interview procedures or check for extra-curricular activities on their Records Of Achievement (regardless of what grades they have) in order to decide which are the brightest because the majority are continually getting high marks. This isn't a victory for the educational system, it is a manipulation of the curriculum by teachers who tell students every technique in the book for passing exams and thereby giving their colleges good standing in the league tables. Surely it would be better to have a system where the top 20% (or less) of students got A grades and nobody else did; this would distinguish the best from the rest.
Another unnerving development is that independent and grammar schools showed double the improvement that comprehensives managed. This is another example of how the rich are given greater advantages over the average person who can't afford to 'shop around' for their children's education. Comprehensive is almost a dirty word for politicians nowadays, but that's only because they've neglected them for so long in favour of 'Middle England' voters. So please take it from me: people are not getting cleverer, society is just becoming more sneaky about it.