BLOG TASK 3

Outline the difference between parliament and government

• Parliament represents the people.

• Government runs the country and is also elected by the people.

The UK Parliament consists of the House of Lords (Upper Chamber) and the House of Commons (Lower House). There are 650 MPs in the House of Commons each elected in their constituency. They consider and propose new laws, and can analyse government policies by asking ministers questions about current issues either in the Commons Chamber or in Committees. Furthermore there are 763 Peers in the House of Lords mostly appointed to be there by the political parties they support although the way peerages are awarded has adopted new changes in recent years.

The government is formed from a select group of frontbench MPs in the Commons. The party with the overall majority in the House of Commons will go on to form the next government, usually 326 MPs or more. If an overall majority is not attained then a coalition government is formed by joining two parties in order to achieve an overall majority. The head of the elected party will usually choose frontbenchers, which will comprise the cabinet.. However it should be noted that members of the House of Lords do not comprise the government. Therefore the government or cabinet is a sub-group of all the MPs in the House of Commons and they are accountable to parliament.

BLOG TASK 2

Compare and contrast the education system in your home county to that in the UK

When Zimbabwe attained its independence in 1980 education in the government-run schools was made free for all. The Ministry of Education Sport and Culture is responsible for maintaining and operating the government schools and in the United Kingdom The Department of Education plays a similar role.

Primary Education
In the UK primary education begins in the school year the child turns 5 and is compulsory for all children aged between 5 and 7. In Zimbabwe Grade 1 begins when the child turns 6. In rural areas pupils are taught in either Shona or Ndebele until Grade 3 when English is adopted. Whereas in urban areas English is the language medium from the very beginning.

Secondary Education
Although Zimbabwe had acquired its independence from Britain it maintained the Cambridge 2-tier model which is still in use in the UK till today. Under this model secondary education involves the first four years of high school and a pass in at least 5 subjects to obtain O-Levels. A further 2 years are required to attain A-Level qualifications.

Higher Education
Higher education in both Zimbabwe and the UK is set to international standards. In both countries it is characterised by three year degree programs depending on the chosen course and its structure. In addition universities also offer postgraduate study including master's and doctorate research degrees. It maybe noted that in Zimbabwe the Ministry of Education endevours to provide practical skills training programs and vocational training centres to those unable to gain entry into university. There are 7 universities in Zimbabwe, the oldest of these being the University of Zimbabwe founded in 1952.

English, Welsh and European Union students have access to state funds in the form of tuition fees and are also awarded a living allowance based on their circumstances.Under a similar setup the Ministry of Education offers the Students Grant and Loan Scheme which offers students financial support in terms of tuition fees and living expenses.



References

(2012) 'Diamond sales to fund student grants', University World News, (Issue 00292), [online]. Available at: http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20120113202931320/ (Accessed: 15 October 2013)

Shizha, E. and Kariwo, T.K. (2011) Education and Development in Zimbabwe: A Social, Political and Economic Analysis. The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.

Chikuhwa, J.W. (2008) Zimbabwe: Beyond A School Certificate. Bloomington, Indiana: Author House.

Machin, S. and Vignoles, A. (2005) What's the Good of Education ?: The Economics of Education in the UK. United Kingdom: Princeton University Press.

This weeks task focuses on the United Kingdom and its composition. The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It should be noted that Great Britain is often used to refer to the United Kingdom interchangeably with London as the capital city.

England

The name England is derived from the name Englaland,which means 'land of the angels'. The Union flag or otherwise referred to as the Union Jack is the official flag of the United Kingdom. Its origin dates back to 1606 when the flag of England (a red cross on white background commonly known as the St George's Cross) was joined with the flag of Scotland (St Andrew's Cross) to form the Union flag above. England prides itself on being a popular tourist destination, with various attractions across the country. This video places particular attention on London as an iconic tourist destination: London England.

Wales

Wales is very rich in history and renowned for its exquisite landscape, including mountains, the coast, national parks and castles. Wales can be subdivided regionally into North, Mid and South Wales. North Wales has several holiday resorts located along the coast, but is made up of rural communities. Mid Wales on the other hand is made up of mountainous regions, moorlands, forests and the coastline facing the Irish Sea. South Wales is by far the most urbanised area of Wales.

The Welsh flag - Y Ddraig Goch meaning 'The Red Dragon' consists of a red dragon on a green and white field. It was officially recognised as the national flag of Wales in 1959.

                                                                                                             

Scotland

Scotland is part of the United Kingdom and shares a border with England to the south and consists of more than 790 islands with Edinburgh as its capital city.

The St Andrew's Cross (above) is the national flag of Scotland. Scotland has fantastic landscapes, wildlife and wonderful local produce, combined with thriving arts, culture scene and historic castles. The kilt is the traditional dress code of Scotland and is worn on special occasions including weddings, Highland games and dances. However over the years its popularity has seen it return as everyday wear.

Northern Ireland

In 1921 Ireland was subdivided into Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland. The latter opted to be governed within the United Kingdom and Southern Ireland became a Free Irish State. In 1972 the Northern Ireland parliament and government were suspended, since then Northern has not had its own flag. However during formal events the Union Flag which is the official flag of the United Kingdom is used by the government in Northern Ireland.

The Saint Patrick's Saltire (above) is used to represent Northern Ireland alongside the other countries of the United Kingdom.

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