I make it a point of following the open discussions the Prime Minister holds with the public at Castille. I think they are very important, and amply demonstrate that this man wants to listen, wants to know, wants to reach out. The latest one was about education and many minor, but important concerns came up. The issue of exams and the stress they generate was also mentioned, but nowhere near reflects the concerns and feelings of the people that include the middle class, among whom the core of PN supporters (and the middle class Labour people who have voted PN since 1987, except for 1996). Perhaps this happened because the parents who have to help their children through their cramming nightmare were not there. They were either still in the middle of it at home, or had just collapsed from sheer relief of it being over, for themselves and for their children. It’s also largely about women, because it is mums who do most of this revision (to give it a polite word) with their kids.

Another issue is that many parents are actually scared to speak out against the Matsec system because they are worried their children could be victimised in some way. I have heard this from so many mums who complain to me, that I suggested they air their complaints and write letters, as I have given up on the situation changing in this regard.

Of course the Prime Minister and Minister for Education spoke about the substantial amount of money this government is spending on education and the number of building projects carried out, or which are in the pipeline. All this is important. Buildings are needed. But the appeal of politics, or the way to make politics appealing is changing. It is becoming less macho and more feminised. It is about appealing to our emotions, and building projects and figures alone cannot do that. It’s about vision.

Much is made of the fact that the PR machine at the PN has never been very good, and since we tend to jumble party and government here, the Ministers’ PR runs into the same criticism. But it seems we are just not reading the signs of the times, or not finding ways to make the presentation appeal to middle class people. When I hear our Minister for Education, or the Prime Minister, talk about education I want that vision thing. I want them to talk about the concerns, which are mine and of thousands of parents. I am not particularly interested in the building of schools, or let’s say I just take it for granted that there is a refurbishment programme.

And the concern is this. The government spends a fortune on education, but huge swathes of people are paying for education too. Many parents of students in government schools spend a fortune on necessary private lessons (because in many cases they wouldn’t pass the exams!). Another huge chunk are paying for their children’s education, plus private lessons and all the other expenses. But what is it all achieving? Are our kids leaving school better rounded individuals? Are they keen on their books and on reading? Are they calm and fulfilled or freaked out and stressed? Is Matsec going to remain as is?

My daughter is only eight years old and, optimist that I am, I believe things will be better when she is 15/16 than they are now for the present group of unlucky 15/16 year olds. Things must change. The content is a nightmare. There is just too much to regurgitate, too much to revise and repeat all through our children’s schooling in preparation for this dreadful Matsec. And as I am very fond of asking when this subject comes up: “How often in our working lives in offices, or as homemakers bringing up our kids, as mums and dads, do we have to repeat and write information?”

I can’t think of one time in all my years working when I have ever been asked, or asked staff, to write down and repeat information. I have often had to give information verbally from memory but whenever I’ve had to write something I’ve had the information at my side, as I do if I’m writing an article, if I’m preparing a report for a Minister, if I’m doing the thousand other things all mums and dads have to do to make the wheels of family life turn.

So if we need exams let’s have them but let’s reduce the content, and include assessment in the final grades to help those children who are not great at memorising stuff. I’ll say it again. Having a good memory does not denote intelligence. A good memory does not mean success in your personal or working life later on. We all remember some crammers at school who didn’t make it career-wise later on. Quite the opposite. So let’s reduce the content and reduce the stress and the working hours of our kids

I sometimes think our kids need a union. If they were macho men being asked to take on the workload our children have, there would be a national strike

Make it the concern of the government to not only build schools and invest in education, but to tackle the problems in our educational system which is causing too much stress and not achieving enough fulfilment for our kids. Reduce the content of our Matsec exams. Eliminate the conflict of interest between those whose set or mark exams and put their own books in the syllabus. Put the kids first and not the livelihood of those who sell and write books, nor of those who give private lessons. Our kids don’t have a union...

Our government must be the trade union of our children. It is desperately needed.