Last year in the UK, students decided to take to the streets to protest for better grades. Many of them came out with average scores, and a lot of them scraped their university offers.

The students complained that the teachers did not account for COVID-19 pressures. They were angry and wanted better grades than they received.

As a result, the UK listened to their cries and inflated their grades. This lead to record-breaking stats in A’s and A* grades. A shocking 38.5% of students managed to secure these high grades in at least one subject.

Although students were happy, experts warned that doing this only leads to mediocrity. It causes students to devalue the importance of school and being educated. Now, you would think that the UK would learn from their mistakes. But they did not.

This year, students ended up with even higher grades, with 44.8% of students ending up with top grades. On results day, students were laughing and shouting things like, are you serious.

The students could not believe the grades they were opening. The students laughing at this is nothing more than the education system being mocked for their incompetence.

The UK have failed both the education system and their students by allowing this to happen. Yes, students have had a hard time. I understand that better than anyone else as a student myself. But these grade inflations do nothing but steal from the value of education in broad daylight.

For the students, their joy of getting inflated grades will quickly fade. However, what will never fade is the disappointing action the UK committed.

Here are the main reasons why the UK have failed education with their inflated grades.

Education Has Taught That Hard Times Reap Reward

Before results day, I saw students posting things like:

“No need to revise. I already got my A.”
“COVID-19 has blessed me.”
“Hope COVID stays here for another three years so I can pass University.”

It is not hard to see that these students are happy that COVID-19 is here. And that is not because COVID is a good thing, but because education does not know how to deal with it.

I am sure all these students went on to be part of the majority with great grades. But education has failed their students in this regard. Students with this mindset should not be walking out with top scores.

By education giving students high grades in tough times, it has taught students a lie. The lie being that hard times bring about great rewards. Unfortunately, that is not how life is.

COVID-19 is not a blessing. Many people have lost loved ones, their jobs and more. Many individuals have become very sick, and some have developed mental illnesses.

Hard times do not reap rewards, they call for resilience. Those who come out of a global crisis better off are not weak individuals but the strongest of the bunch.

It is only the best in our society that can perform well under tough situations. If everyone could do it, there would be no need for strong leaders.

The UK education system is teaching students that hard times are blessings. And by letting those who are undeserving reap rewards, they have failed.

At some point, these students will find out that hard times do not lead to benefits. They call for resilience and strength. By right, the number of students achieving top grades should be the lowest ever when a pandemic hits.

We do not see businesses performing well and people smiling during hard times. So why have we taught our future generation that is the case? These students will have to learn resilience later on down the line.

Funny enough, Gen Z produces the least resilient individuals walking on our planet. I am one myself, and I do not blame them. What do we expect when we teach them that hard times do not call for more effort?

It is a sad reality, but the UK education system has failed its students above all. They have let mediocrity feel the reward of those who work hard. And that should never happen within educational institutions.

Education Appears to Have No Standards Anymore

Educational institutions have always been respected by the standards they uphold. Top institutions like Harvard, Cambridge and Oxford are not known for their mediocrity. They are known for their research and ensuring only the best students are carrying it out.

They are leading the way for education not because they accept all but because they accept the best. Their standards show that the pursuit of knowledge is to be handled by the best of the thinkers society has to offer.

Education has always been valued because of its high standards. By allowing every student to achieve the best, poor students with no interest go to these great schools.

Those who are the best of the crop are selected to embark on this journey to furthering knowledge. It is these students that have the highest value for education and understand the importance of it.

The top schools select students who have given education the highest respect by putting the most effort into pursuing it. By allowing almost half the country this privilege, it has been made the norm rather than an honour.

Closing Thoughts

Unfortunately, inflated grades in the UK have made education look like a joke. All the students laughing in educations face know that they won for the second year in a row.

They forced education to drop their standards to allow them to experience joy. It is our duty as educators to protect our standards and teach our students vital lessons for life.

Unfortunately, the UK has failed in both areas. And it is only a matter of time until we see a rise in the devaluation of the education system

With a sad heart, I say that the UK will never recover from what they have done. They can only hope that a small few who value education can have enough influence over the future of their country.