Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

Heard Thailand does it for cheap, sex change that is

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

LOL

Ouch!

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

One of the most sensible suggestions I've heard in ages. Why they have so many exam boards in the UK is beyond me, but a global system worldwide would solve a lot of problems.

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

Something like this : www.ibo.org ?

My children took these exams in Canada. A colleague's children took them in Texas, a friend here took them years ago in India.

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

You shouldn't be banned for what goes through most peoples minds!!! Forget just closing them, I'd give her tube of super glue.

A few years ago on one of those naff "wife swap" programs there was a family with I believe 6-7 kids. They were on 35k pounds a year in state handouts and no tax to pay on it. Why the general tax payer should have to put their hands in their pockets to fund other peoples breeding habits is quite beyond me. They had enough money to each smoke 60 a day, all on the tax payer. Even more baffling because one of them couldn't work because of alleged Asthma. The husband was also getting disablity payments because he was too upset to work because one of his parents died. FFS.

So it's probably true that you can live a better standard of living on benefits in the UK, but it doesn't mean it's right.

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

Great idea if (a) it is accessible to all (ie free) and (b) there is a common curriculum. Don't see it happening, sadly. It smacks of egality. It seems that there are a few people in this world who don't like that notion much.

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

In Calgary at least the public school board offers it for free.

I don't have personal experience of it, but as far as I know the IB curriculum is the same around the world.

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

I'm sure you are right but we are still a long way from it being a global thing. Can you imagine even two countries like France and the UK agreeing on a common curriculum for history? Scale that up to reflect religon, politics etc. It's unworkable, except maybe for pure sciences.

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

Isn't the baccaluareate taken in most countries anyway?

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

Now you are over there in Canada and probably not seen wife swap in ages you may be pleased to know that the above named has just got done in court for not declaring her earnings from all the publicity she got from the programme. There is at least a little justice in the world eh?! ;)

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

Nice! :D

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

I have read some of what's been said... here's my experience...

I have lived in Canada for just over a year now with my daughter and we're both in low paid jobs and not managing to pay all the bills. That's one reason we're going back to the UK. I've tried and tried to get better paid jobs but can't. I have a B.Ed Degree, the equivalent of 6 A Levels and 9 O Levels, as well as other qualifications, but nobody here seems interested. My degree isn't good enough....

We haven't been to the dentist in over a year because we can't afford to. I need new glasses as my eyesight has really gone worse lately, but I can't do that either. We can't afford to visit our loved ones in the UK, or even go up island for a holiday.

I came to Canada in search of a better life. My dad says it's paradise here, but he bought a lovely home, has a good income and is retired. I guess if I'd had a partner/husband it may have been different, but I have been a single parent for many years and have worked hard for most of those years, never having much until the last couple of years before I came here.

I am glad that the UK will support us when we get back, until we can find work. I've already started applying for jobs and I hope it won't be long until I get one. I'm also glad I can get free medical care right away. I don't feel that I will be 'sponging off the state', since I paid taxes/NI for many years and I plan to get work as soon as I can.

It's sad that it's come to this, but I'm sure people are right when they say that if you're in middle-upper income jobs it's a great place to be. I hope I'll get a job that pays enough to come here on holiday, as it truly is beautiful.

I wish I had known before I made the decision to come here how hard we'd find it, but my relatives didn't have to find work or places to rent and they're reasonably well off. I guess I should have done more research but I was so keen to be near my family....

Ah well, I don't regret coming, I've met some wonderful people and had some new experiences. I have started from scratch once and can do it again...

Donniboo

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

My kids took it in the public (free) school system. I know a number of schools in the UK offer it as an alternative to A levels and assume they do so for free. The most interesting thing about it, I think, is that it's the same course offered in many languages; this meant that daughter #2 was able to get credits towards the first year of her English language university course for her bac passes, even though she took the Bac in French. The colleague's children in Texas are taking it in Spanish though they'll doubtless end up at an English language university.

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

Daughter 2's extended essay, a major part of the bac, was on "The Absence of Theme in the Theatre of the Absurd". Not what I'd call pure science.

I agree though that a common curriculum is likely to work best for reading, writing, arithmetic and worst for religion, politics and history. Shame that, students having to stick to useful stuff.

Re: Poverty, UK Vs Canada
 

Not me. Much better off here.