Following the rather astounding issues over bringing back the ?ranking system? for CPE students and the rise in the price of bread, we tend to wonder about the reliability of its socio-economic and political system. It seems very repugnant that politics and welfare are being confused in such serious issues. The feeling that I have is that delicate life issues are being dealt with inappropriate degree of importance and with an unhealthy blend of selfishness.

It was very upsetting to read that the government wants to reinstate the ?ranking system?; it makes one feel that we are being used as guinea pigs for political experiments. We cannot rest assured that the next government will not turn the system upside down once again and introduce yet another policy regarding the CPE dilemma. It is very sad and disappointing that children of such a young age are being put to a ?trial and error? kind of phenomenon. I still try to understand very hard how parents and especially children will react to such a system, which is so uncertain and unstable. I still think that the traditional CPE exams were a better option as it would retain the elitism and did not have such a chameleon tendency.

What I find even more alarming is that parents and children do not have much of a choice as it is the institutions and politics who decide the fate of the children in a very unfair manner. I still keep fingers crossed for the education of young children not to suffer in this amalgam of conflict on interest.

It is a difficult situation to resolve and I know that it is very tough to find a way out as it has all become a roller coaster trend since it all started. I feel that the CPE is being gambled with and that in trying to please everyone, things are getting out of control and the alarm bell has to be rung. It has been too long and too far since children?s education is being stumbled on.

Furthermore, the saga of the price rise in bread has unleashed a very serious problem, which some people are failing to understand and their short-sightedness is making matters worse. Bakers demanding a 75% price rise and obtaining only 22% has caused turbulences and I must say it is very contradictory to the basic microeconomics principles, which a nation is believed to be based on. Indeed, as economics students might find easier to grasp, the concept of basic necessity is far from being followed. Any economist knows that a basic commodity such as bread should not be subject to price rises and is even given government subsidies. I find it revolting and unbelievably strange that demands for price rises of bread are being made. For middle and upper middle income groups, such a trend will not change much to their basket of consumption but, for very low income earners, the unfairness of the government will be highly and bitterly felt.

Such a debate over the price of bread rises does provoke thoughts of how far the government caters for the needs of the poor and how much the transition from a welfare-oriented economy to a more capitalist one costs. More revolting is the fact that it attacks the poor at the very root as it is the most popular variety of bread that is the ?pain maison?, which is being made the sacrificial goat. Nonetheless we still can hope that things only get better.

Yet, we are all carrying on and some are just overlooking such serious issues which in time will chase our attention back. This is what it all needs, much of our attention, concern and thoughts. We hope that a new light will shine and such paramount social issues will be resolved. We are in the 21st century for God?s sake!

<B>Mokshada HOOKOOM</B>