W.H.A.T???

Evidence for those who fear that the world of education is suffering from Compulsive Acronym Syndrome (CAS?) comes with the handlist Acronyms and Initialisms in Education (AIE), produced by the Librarians of Institutions and Schools of Education (LISE) which with 4,500 entries is 500 per cent up on the 1981 edition.

The guide, reveals a penchant for names. CLAIRE, DI, ERIC, ERICA, JANET, JASPER, MAVIS, OSCAR, PAM, PETE, ROLF, SADIE, and SAM all feature.

The more humorous include the oddly appropriate WEEP (Work Experience on Employers' Premises), the unfortunate SAD (School of Art and Design), the childish POO (Parents Opposed to Opting Out), the strangely unhelpful CISSY (Campaign to Impede Sex Stereotyping in the Young) and the wonderfully confusing CIA (Courtauld Institute of Art).

The unpronounceable include near-Klingon WGARCR (Working Group Against Racism in Children's Resources) and the snappy SCPDCIHE (Standing Conference of Principals and Directors of Colleges and Institutes of Higher Education). TTFN.