In another pathetic attempt to make parents feel their children are getting more out of Blairs penny pinching regime as it continues to erode educational standards - he has offered, along with his minion, Helen Lidell - bits of paper to say 'My kid can count'.

By all means praise children, but do you think for a moment an employer is going to care whether or not you have been good at spelling since you were 5, or that you completed a GOOD university degree and have 1 years work experience after that?

This is NO new scheme either - South Parks Primary School in Fife was giving these type of certificate out in 1972 ...

The logical conclusion of this sad fiasco is American type bumper stickers saying things like "My kids smarter than yours" or "My kids a junior genius" - any of you who have ever visited the US will have seen these, is this what education means to you?