by camera_rwanda
It’s happening already. As the liberals argue against Identity cards, the truth is that it’s already happened, even if not in the most obvious guise. I heard about this a while ago although didn’t think much about it. Then I had to sit through a talk on it. It was then I though, shit, here comes the barcode generation.
What I am rambling on about? The Unique Learner Number. It’s an initiative whereby all students, from nursery will be given a unique code (hence the title) that will stay with them for life. This number will be the entry point into a student’s computerised educational background. Every detail relevant to education will be stored there. Every single school, every single qualification, every exam result, every suspension, every expulsion…and no doubt the days you were off ’cause the snow on the roads was frantic’. And you CANNOT refuse your ULN. It is something which has been on the agender for a few years, but now it’s being put into practice, all over the country.
The advantages of the scheme appear to be convenience. No more searching for paper and looking for records. Not to mention we could just do away with the humble CV. Great! Now I have an extra 20 minutes in my life. What shall I do?
The disadvantages appear almost innumerate. I need bulletpoints.
- There’s the invasion of privacy.
- The progress into a Big Brother state. Don’t we already have enough CCTV cameras?
- The fact the information can be easily abused e.g. child gets expelled from school for whatever reason but has made amends. Now with their halo and little angel wings they apply for work and are turned down because they have a mark on their name.
- The fact computers files are easily hackable and prone to viruses. It wouldn’t take a computer whizz kid to completely disrail this information carrying train.
- Not to mention, the government aren’t the most guarded with personal information collectives. It won’t be long now till we hear about the next ‘missing cd’
- And where does this leave the lowly school receptionist? She’ll have too much time on her hands. She will eat far too many Hob Nobs hich will affect the schools funding, and she will get fat. So fat you’ll have to roll her out…
Seriously though, with this, and various other registers coming into daily use it’s not long before we will have to sacrifice our ‘being’ to some sort of database. This is an infringment on life as those in power tighten the reigns on the poor unsuspecting everday person. If only Guy Fawkes had actually blown parliament up.
Some more info:
- http://www.miap.gov.uk/lrs/uln/
- http://intranet.yorkcollege.ac.uk/portal-files/ULNandStudents.pdf
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article3359931.ece
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