Wednesday, February 13th 2008
UK Government Plans to Compile Massive Database of Citizens' Academic Records
So, apparently the United Kingdom is considering compiling a database. Logged in this database will be the academic records of every UK citizen aged 14 or older. This isn't going over very well with anyone. To start things off, the government's track record with data isn't the cleanest (anyone remember the little incident with lost health records?). The main beef that most people have with this plan is that it gives possible employers access to the academic records of people. What's wrong with this is put into words quite elegantly, as stated by a professor from the University of London:
Source:
The Inquirer via The Times
This disregards how people change throughout their lives. Academic records are no indication of future success. There are many reasons for the grades we get: they might reflect the teaching or a personal crisis. People who do badly at school often do well later in life. There's a danger that these records prevent change and progress for the better.Whether the UK plans to continue compiling this database after such criticism is unclear at this point.
20 Comments on UK Government Plans to Compile Massive Database of Citizens' Academic Records
Is it so they can say, "Oh look, Abdulla went to Jihad University, we better keep an eye on him."
Bit of sarcasm, but why does the gov want to keep this infromation.
That should be left up to the universities.
At least they can here in the US.
Any business can also check the validity of a University and their accreditation.
People change in life!
And this might be the wrong move!
At the moment I see no logic in implementing this. The same is with ID cards that are going to come in effect - shouldn't a passport cover all these details? A passport can hold all that data and is very hard to forge. A revision of a passport can easily be implemented over time when people renew them.
The US does have a very strict immigration protocols - something that many other countries should copy - although at the same time be watchful to who is leaving the country... although this has no link to the topic /apologies.
Luckily, the USofA doesn't do that.. :)
Some times I don't know if things like this is a good bad thing or a bad thing. If all the plans where implemented then if something did go wrong then the government and officials could find out who it was quickly and efficiently.
I mean, we are not forgetting British colonial past, are we? It wasn't just tea and crumpets.
The government trying to keep us safe... my arse....
It really wasn't meant to mean anything, other than a little joke. It would be difficult to make a concrete argument for that theory since you have had a representative form of government about as long as we have.