In Melville last night, over dinner, Carp's mobile rings. 'Yeah, who is it?'

From his tax payer funded presidential suite in Brisbane's Hyatt Regency Magoo replies, 'Oh, ah, hi Allan, it's Mark.'

Carps, 'Who?'

'You know Mark, your education minister.'

Carps rolls his eyes at his missus, 'Ah Mark, what's up?'

Mr Squeeky's voice rises a whole tone... 'You know this pesky union thing has got me worried. It doesn't look good for me.'

Carps, 'Well f$%#$kn sort it out then. You're the f$%#$kn education minister maaate.'

The minister adjusts his Panama tie. 'OK, um, well, what should I do?'

Carps thinks to himself... bloody Sneakers could go one of either ways on this issue. Everyone keeps telling me he wants my job and the little pr#%k looks good on prime time. It's time for a swifty...

'Listen Mike, sorry Mark. Why don't you take them to the IRC and have the strike banned. That'll show those stupid pri%*#s that we are not f#$%ing around.'

McGowan stops for one second to consider the proposal and replies, 'Do you think it will work?'

Allan, 'Of course it will bl##dy work! That teacher's union are weak as p#$%. Bl$%dy Anne will back right off, she's pi%^es in our pocket all the way.'

From Queensland the following day the minister reluctantly announces that he is taking the SSTUWA to the IRC. It helps him feel in control after another bad day recruiting no one to WA.

The outcome? He loses badly. He looks stupid on prime time news and Sneakers is now another step away from becoming Premier.

Good on you Allan, top work.

Posted by Smithers on the PLATO Forum, 22 February 2008

The Department of Education and Training and the Curriculum Council have ended speculation about the future of Outcomes Based Education with the announcement of an exciting new program for Western Australian Schools - Independent Project Learning.

“We have responded to the criticisms of OBE,” said Education Minister, Mr Mark McGoo. “IPL will be simpler for teachers to understand, and bring Western Australian education in line with proposed curriculum reforms in the United Kingdom.”

With IPL, students learn by working on month-long independent projects, either individually or in small groups. The Department of Education and Training and the Curriculum Council also announced sweeping new changes to school assessment and reporting requirements for the new IPL program. Upper secondary school teachers will be able to assess and report in traditional marks and percentages. In lower secondary school and primary school, assessment will no longer be required.

Mr Would, CEO of the Curriculum Council, supported the new initiative. “We have decided to drop reference to the outcome statements and levelling assessment,” he said. “People were lobbying against teaching outcomes. It was the terminology of OBE that was causing stress and confusion to teachers.”

Mr Would explained that outcomes is a term also associated with outdated teacher-directed approaches, where teachers plan lessons using objectives and then assess learning outcomes using valid and reliable evaluation techniques.

“Teacher-directed learning is just too expensive and difficult to manage in our superannuation-driven society.” Mr Would said.

The advantage of new IPL program is that students learn independently in a friendly, non-coercive environment. Teachers no longer need to be experts in their subjects nor worry about classroom discipline. Research funded by the Curriculum Council has shown that students in IPL programs learn just as effectively as if they had been taught in traditional classrooms.

“We no longer need to employ knowledgeable and capable staff. The eventual savings on salaries and teacher training will be enormous,” said Mr McGoo.

Mr Would admitted that the compulsory external exams reinstated after community backlash against OBE will be a problem for IPL. The Curriculum Council will sidestep this problem by making the exam questions very broad and general.

“We don’t want teachers distracting students from their important IPL work and insisting that they rote learn facts and figures just to get good marks in external exams,” Mr Would said.

Mr McGoo was questioned about community concerns with falling academic standards. Mr McGoo said that this was a view held by very small minority people. “Parents can easily sort out problems with the three R’s by helping their children with a bit of reading and maths after school,” he said.

IPL programs have been running successfully in schools since 1998. The IPL program will give working parents the peace of mind to focus on earning, investing and consuming.

The IPL curriculum reform program will be completed by 2010 when 520 exciting and innovative new subject choices will be made available to school students.

Students will be able to complete IPL courses in such diverse subjects as structural engineering, underwater photography, plastic surgery and forensic accounting.

The change to IPL will boost student enthusiasm and cut truancy. IPL schools will offer a nourishing and appetising feast that will sustain learners and meet their needs.

Aviation Course: 2005 model. Low milage. No flight plan or log. Rudder damaged but floats ok in light breeze.

Outcomes-a-Million: All courses drastically reduced. We must clear stock to make room for a new shipment. Not $100 000, not even $10 000, or even $1000.!! We'll PAY you to take them away. Confidentiality guaranteed. Use back door to CC.

Accounting & Finance COS: OBE Monopoly Game. Complete set of Reward bank notes and 8-sided dice

Biological Sciences COS: Genetically modified model. Some DNA damage following fallout. Will suit invertebrate female looking for docile pet.

Music COS: Needs tuning and some evidence of decomposition. Good set of notes but no scores except rap version of Madame Butterfly

OBE Barbie: Talking doll with frilly collar will repeat endlessly all your favourite OBE mantras such as 'No rote learning... no rote learning... no rote learning."

English COS: Renovators delight. Spady design and known as the 'Obera House'. Major cracks in ceiling have been papered over with movie posters. The grafitti on the walls is rated Level 7.

OBE Progress Map: Couldn't work out which way was up. Is Slough of Despondency before or after Valley of Humiliation?. Never did find the House of the Interpretor. Anyway it's yours.

The Da Ravlich Code: Educational thriller. Hours of fun in deciphering sentences half a page long. Whip included in case you're not in enough pain.

Physics COS: Still in box. Airbag included.

3-legged camel: Found wandering around the progress map. Answers to the name of Polly.

OBE powered Curriculum Sedan: Blown a head gasket. Parts only. Any offer accepted.

Mathematics COS: Three available. Making way for new stock. Includes Revisions 1-89.

Complete set of Levels: Limited edition. Magnifying glass included.

OBEphile: Higher order thinking woman with high standards seeks complex relationship with masochistic man re mutually satisfactory outcomes . Must be able to fluent in EduBabble.. Ph CC, ask for Lil.

Marks to Levels catalytic convertor: Remarkable compression ratio in this device will reduce your marks emission almost to zero.

Compiled by Cynthia Belonogoff        [downloaded as .pdf file]