Letter: No point in technology at school

Sir: Mike Heath, Director General of the Engineering Council, believes that teaching technology in Britain's schools will improve our engineering base, on which he feels our economy depends (Letters, 16 March).

I understand that there is a looming crisis in the health service due to a predicted shortage of GPs. Does Mr Heath feel we should be teaching our children how to diagnose illness and prescribe treatments?

As an engineer myself, I know that the foundation of all the engineering disciplines is science and mathematics. Until adequate standards in these subjects are achieved in our schools it is absurd to attempt to teach children the vocational subjects that depend on them. The place for vocational teaching is in colleges and universities. Even these cannot succeed unless students arrive from the school system adequately prepared.

Ian Quayle

Helensburgh, Strathclyde