Hacker and Sir Humphrey in “The National Education Service”

Hacker

Education in this country is a disaster. We're supposed to be preparing children for a working life. Three-quarters of the time, they're bored stiff!

Sir Humphrey

Well, I should have thought that being bored stiff for three-quarters of the time was an excellent preparation for working life.

Hacker

The school leaving age was raised to 16 so they could learn more, and they're learning less.

Sir Humphrey

We didn't raise it to enable them to learn more, we raised it to keep teenagers off the job market and hold down the unemployment figures.

Hacker

Are you saying there's nothing wrong with education in this country?

Sir Humphrey

No, of course not Prime Minister, it's a joke! It's always been a joke! And as long as your leave it in the hands of the local councillors, it will remain a joke. I mean, half of them are your enemies anyway, and the other half are the sort of friends who make you prefer your enemies.

Hacker

Well, what are you saying?

Sir Humphrey

I'm saying that education will never get any better as long as it's subject to all that tomfoolery in the town halls. I mean, just imagine what would happen if you put defense in the hands of the local authorities.

Hacker

Defense?

Sir Humphrey

Yes, give the local councils 100 million each and ask them to defend themselves. We wouldn't have to worry about the Russians, we'd have a civil war in three weeks!