Letter: Computers used as expensive toys

Sir: How refreshing it was to read Stephen Read's letter (9 May) that "Net surfing is not a computer skill". I read his letter the day after I was informed that I am to be made redundant from my teaching post after 20 years' service.

Though I am employed in an expanding grammar school, I am told there is insufficient demand for my subject. I teach Economics, but seemingly modern-day students are not interested in acquiring the knowledge associated with such a subject.

My school will shortly be removing Economics from its curriculum, with my post being classified as financially untenable. Yet, less than 12 months ago, a vast sum of money was spent equipping the school with the latest in computer technology.

These machines are used largely as expensive toys with the students trying to access the latest Oasis Web page or trying to locate which X-rated sites have been missed by the facility provider's censor.

An opportunity to create flexibility of thought, confidence and an interest in learning from experience through an excellent A-level examination will be lost. We do appear to have confused educational objectives.

Bill Stoneham

Maidstone, Kent