College courses in surfing!

Now heres a course I wish had been available when I went to college- a qualification in surfing! Further education can be an easy life at the best of times but to spend 2 years studying surfing, how tough can that be! In fact sign me up, I'm going back to college.... Heres the article from The Sun Newspaper:

"A college course in surfing which will cost UK taxpayers £100,00, was recently branded a "Mickey Mouse" idea.

It will see pupils hone their skills at top boarding hotspots for two years.

The course — geared towards gaining a BTEC National Certificate in Sport — could also take students abroad.

But critics slammed it as a “waste of money”.

It starts in September at the Bournemouth and Poole College in Dorset — to coincide with the completion of Europe’s first artificial surf reef in nearby Boscombe. Young boarders will spend “study” time on the beach and go to surf havens like Cornwall and Devon under the instructions of two tutors.

The course costs £4,012 per student and is being subsidised by the taxpayer via the Learning and Skills Council.

Tutor Gary Hart said: “Surfing is a growing industry and there are lots of opportunities.” Students will be able to complete a beach lifeguard and a surf instructor’s qualification.

But the Level One British Surfing Association badges — which enable surfers to teach — would usually take just two or three days to complete.

Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said: “This sort of thing has no place in a college of further or higher education — it is just cashing in by getting bums on seats. I’m afraid that these Mickey Mouse courses are part of a growing trend.”