I read recently that one in three UK companies now runs literacy and numeracy classes for its new recruits - that's how dummed down our educational system has become.

When students are forced to throw their money at 'universities' in tuition fees then what reason do these institutions have to reject their applications? And as we all know A level grades are inflated year upon year.

There are too many 'tin pot' universities around these days - they may as well just sell degree certificates in Woolworths.

Mark Poole, London, England

I can see why it made the newspapers but in my experience, I'm sure the journalists writing this newspaper would love their children's innately superior ability with language to be counted for them at A Level time.

However, what have they ever done besides write, moan and speculate, often badly. When I see exams that measure people's actual ability to do anything, then I'll know we've succeeded. Keep the criitical thinking, drop the General Studies and Citizenship, for they are irrelevant to ability.

Mike, London,

is it that hard to believe that schools are doing a good job or that students are actually really trying in order to compete for the university places?? less new ideas and criticisms and more praise is needed, i have just passed my A Levels and i would rather hear of my achievements rather than stupid reasons as to why i have done so well.

Tim Vaughan, Chesterfield, Derbyshire

I remember 'Use of English'. I got into Cambridge on a scholarship in my fourth term in the sixth form, having taken a killingly demanding set of entrance papers. Getting a scholarship notionally excused me from having to sit A levels, but my Cambridge place (in Modern Languages + Classics) wasn't safe until I had passed the ridiculous farce known as Use of English, which involved ticking boxes for multiple-choice answers, plus an essay or piece of writing saying nothing much about nothing in particular.

As for today's exams, they're an insult to the very bright, a sop to the less bright, and a consolation prize to the dim. All, after all, must have prizes. Or, to quote Gilbert yet again, when everyone is somebody, then no one's anybody.

Cassandra, Biggsville, UK

Cambridge required Use of English. At one stage Oxford required Latin. It was stupid to abolish the Entrance Examination but that is how dons conspired in the Great A-Level Meltdown turning it into a US-style High School Diploma.

If you cannot clip coins debase qualifications.

TomTom, Leeds, England

As far as I see it, students should be required to take a broad range of subjects in their final two years at school. No 'three a-levels in child development, media studies, and textiles'. A broad range of 'traditional' subjects. Then, rather than wasting time with coursework, interim tests and so forth should be marked by the school and graded. Yes, this would allow for the fact that some schools might mark differently than others, but it would give a far better indicator of whether the students have the necessary dedication than merely exams and a piece of coursework or two. Stick to two exams per subject, per year, and have those standardised. That gives the universities two sets of marks to go on when it comes to selecting students.

E. Harper, Bonn,

In IB you do 6 subjects NOT 7 subjects as suggested by the journalist (get your facts right). You do 6 subjects and 2 additional compulsury "subjects" which are an extended essay and the Theory of Knowledge. But the grading for them is different and you do not sit exams for them, thus they don't count as an proper IB subject.

Teacher , Kent ,

So having devalued the A level they are now going to devalue my degree Baccalaureus In Scientia (BSc, earned over 3 years at Cardiff) by giving baccalaureates to school kids? Thanks very much!

Eric Pritchard, Clevedon, Somerset, UK

What's new is that in 1965 only the brightest got an A at A level. Now they have made the exams so easy anyone above average is getting an A. We have young people coming to interviews with 4 grade A 'A' levels and to be honest they are hopeless, they would have failed the exams I took.

Education standards have been consistently falling over the past two decades, hidden by the fact that exams have been made easier and easier. Government ministers and teachers should hang their heads in shame. They have constantly crowed about the 'improved' results, but we are not fooled.

Steve, Birmingham, UK

What's new? I did my A levels in 1965 and remember having at the same time to take a paper called "Use of English". I do not remember much about it, but it must have been 90 to 180 minutes, and required us to select 1 or 2 essay topics from a list that could cover virtually anything from comparative religion to international affairs. - Hard to believe, but I think it was introduced in the mid-sixties in response to concerns about decreasing standards of literacy.

Peter, Cambridge,