Teachers criticise over-testing

Teachers criticise over-testing (BBC News, Monday, 24 March 2008)

I've yet to meet a university Honours student who can tell the difference between "they're", "there" and "their". Many German and Swedish students seem to write better English than British students. But let's not put too much pressure on our kids, as they are already the "unhappiest in the western world", and who cares if Britain becomes the imbecile member of the European family.

Perhaps for once BBC journalists would care to substantiate or at least investigate the claims they jot down, rather than regurgitate hearsay. They could have asked the delegates at the National Union of Teachers some critical questions: By what criteria are British school children so unhappy, and how is this related to the number of tests? Are they subjected to more (or perhaps fewer) tests than children overseas of the same age? According to what studies? What evidence is there that tests are detrimental to the quality of education? How can one even measure the quality of education if not through tests?