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Added: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 16:50 GMT 17:50 UK

I think this is just a gimmick and I find most teachers to be very professional and well trained. I feel police officers should have 'MOTs' they face hardly any scrutiny in their work. Nurses, doctors, teachers are strictly regulated by independent bodies and can be struck off at any point if we commit acts of misconduct. It should be the police who face more stringent checks.

Christian, Blackpool, UK, England,

Added: Sunday, 5 July, 2009, 14:11 GMT 15:11 UK

Michael in Manchester, what gives you the right to call Peter Hitchens pompous? - the fact that you don't agree with him? You come across as a bit pompous yourself. Finally, whatever school you went to, they obviously didn't teach you spelling or grammar, or even how to put forward a good case.

Brian, Colchester, UK, England,

Added: Saturday, 4 July, 2009, 15:06 GMT 16:06 UK

As a previous and current student I have to say that the education system in place at the moment borders on the absurd. Compared to many other countries in Europe students in the UK just can't compete. Yes I think that an MOT for teachers is a good idea just to keep up standards. In the first place though these standards need to be raised. I have a cousin that was top of his class in his school in London but now that he has relocated to Poland he has to work twice as hard just to keep up.

Nadina Hnatiw, Braintree, UK, England,

Added: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 09:42 GMT 10:42 UK

Is it not that giving teachers yet more red tape is only going to increase public spending with yet more crazy in effective systems. If the head teacher cannot be trusted to do their job then maybe they should be mot'd.

Sarah, Llanfairfechan, UK, Wales,

Added: Thursday, 2 July, 2009, 23:10 GMT 00:10 UK

Thank you Peter Hitchens for defending meritocracy, standards in education, grammar schools as a means of social mobility,

Neil, Coatbridge, UK, Scotland,

Added: Thursday, 2 July, 2009, 22:47 GMT 23:47 UK

I find Peter Hitchens disgusting. His ludicrous right wing views, in particuar on education are pathetic. He clearly knows very little about education, but just loyally defends grammar schools. His pompass condesention towards the great work that has been done by this country's state schools is abhorant.

Michael, Manchester, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 2 July, 2009, 22:43 GMT 23:43 UK

It is the arrogance of consecutive governments pushing changes (they always speak of 'reform') on the education system without regard for the opinion for either teachers, teaching unions, head masters, education advisors... Thatcher and Sir Keith Joseph even ignored their independent advisors whose report advised that a National Curriculum was a mistake - a mistake that had already cost France in lowered standards and worse teacher morale ... but better to test teachers than pre-teens too much.

Alistair, Oxford, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 2 July, 2009, 22:41 GMT 23:41 UK

I was a teenager in the 60's. We were mostly all in work because the ones that didn't pass the 11 started work at 15 and started some kind of apprenticeship whilst attending Technical Colleges in the evening and on day release. The ones that passed the 11 went on to Grammer School and followed an academic path. This worked. Not everyone wants to be an academic. Get the young ones off the streets and lets bring back our manufacturing industry with our non-academics. Its simple and it works

Pat, Bolton, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 2 July, 2009, 22:29 GMT 23:29 UK

I agree with Jarvis Cocker - education has been ruined by league tables and SATs. In 1997 we were promised 'Education, Education, Education' - what has followed for teachers is condemnation, condemnation, condemnation. Education should be removed from the political sphere altogether, given a 10 year budget, and handed over to educationalists to run. Without party political interference, the system would improve and results will follow. This is yet another gimmick!!

Dave King, London, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 2 July, 2009, 22:28 GMT 23:28 UK

I think that the performance of a school is due to a balance between the teacher performance and the parents' involvement. Some schools may perform very badly due to the student behaviour, which is due to lack of parental encouragement and discipline as well as teaching. Also, the other way to ensure a good education for your children is to do what my parents did - pretend to be religious and go to a church school instead.

Helen, Derby, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 2 July, 2009, 22:24 GMT 23:24 UK

The law states that continued professional education of teachers is not necessary or part of the duties of their employment. If we licence teachers who else should we licence, politicians, bankers and ceos would be high on my list. Statism gone mad.

GARY, Brixham, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 2 July, 2009, 22:23 GMT 23:23 UK

I wish that newspapers such as the Daily Mail would stop with their continuous attack on schools. I went to a state school in my local area, an area which is infamous for its social problems, and yet we beat most of the public schools in the county. 90% of my school year went on to further education or training, and now many have moved to university. I currently study law at Queen Mary (UoL), and it is those that went to state schools that are achieving greater.

Alex, Crewe, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 2 July, 2009, 22:23 GMT 23:23 UK

i am a teacher and i'm wondering what example are we trying to set to our children, if you are no good you have to go? do we not try to improve the children's learning? what is wrong with the system we have now where teachers have a CPD and have to prove that they are developing? giving teachers MOT's with a fear of failing is not going to encourage people to stay in the profession. why would you want to loose the teachers you have...help them improve not disregard them.

Sarah Darby, London, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 2 July, 2009, 22:23 GMT 23:23 UK

I wish that newspapers such as the Daily Mail would stop with their continuous attack on schools. I went to a state school in my local area, an area which is infamous for its social problems, and yet we beat most of the public schools in the county. 90% of my school year went on to further education or training, and now many have moved to university. I currently study law at Queen Mary (UoL), and it is those that went to state schools that are achieving greater.

Alex, Crewe, UK, England,

Added: Thursday, 2 July, 2009, 22:21 GMT 23:21 UK

Would you get on an aircraft for a flight if the pilot has not been tested for 20 years ? I dont think so

Steve, Hayling Island, UK, England,