Papers focus on education

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With days left until this year's A-level results, many of the papers put education under the spotlight.

The Sunday Telegraph reports on Conservative plans for radical reforms to the league table system the party claims has been <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/leaguetables/6034992/Tories-announce-major-overhaul-of-school-exam-system-and-league-tables.html">"dumbed down". </a>

Peter Hyman, a former key figure in New Labour, tells the Observer <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/aug/16/peter-hyman-education-teaching-exams">children need to be encouraged to think more.</a>

The Sunday Times <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article6797743.ece">hails the success of the former polytechnics, </a> which have seen students do well in the recession.

'£30m package'

The Sunday Telegraph stays focused on <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6035602/Barclays-30-million-offer-sparks-City-pay-row.html">the return of the big bonus culture in the City. </a>

Under an exclusive tag, it reveals that Barclays has offered five bankers a bonus package worth a total of £30m.

The Sunday Times says <a class="inlineText" href="http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article6797789.ece">Chancellor Alistair Darling is ready to legislate to curb City bonuses. </a>

It reports that the new rules would cover the whole British banking system rather than just institutions partly nationalised, such as RBS and Lloyds.

Vaccine fears

The Mail on Sunday says the government is under fire over a <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1206828/Government-charges-unemployed-40p-minute-ring-Jobseekers-Direct.html">premium rate phone line for the jobless. </a>

It says people who call Job Seekers Direct - the official jobs helpline - to ask about vacancies are being charged 40p a minute.

The TUC argues the charges are hitting the most hard-up people in the country.

The Observer says a <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/aug/16/liver-diseases-callfor-alcohol-laws">steep rise in liver disease </a> is putting pressure on the government to do more to impose price controls on alcohol.

Fat lady sings

The Sunday Mirror turns its attentions to the Labour Party.

It carries the results of a poll which suggest that <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/08/16/surprise-icm-poll-puts-mandelson-among-public-favourites-in-leadership-race-115875-21599268/">Peter Mandelson has emerged as one of the favourites </a> to succeed Gordon Brown as party leader.

Meanwhile, the Observer claims <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/aug/16/opera-slimline-divas">it is all over for fat lady singers </a> as slimline divas triumph in opera.

One of the new breed, Australian-born soprano Danielle de Niese, says: "We needed this breath of fresh air, we could not go on being elephants."