A TEENAGER has defended a scheme which rewarded him with a certificate for successfully catching a bus.

Bobby McHale, from Fishpools in Bury, received the congratulatory note after taking part in the BRAG (Bury and Rochdale Active Generation) scheme.

It is accredited by the AQA assessment board and included a qualification entitled Using Public Transport (Unit 1).

The module has attracted widespread ridicule — but 15-year-old Bobby, a pupil at Derby High School, has praised the initiative, which is run by Bury Council’s youth service.

He said: “The certificate is really silly but it’s nothing to do with the actual activities.

“The scheme is really good. I don’t think the certificate is ‘dumbing down’ education, it’s just something the council has to do to get the funding.”

Bobby was stunned when he received the certificate through the post in June, for a part of the course he completed last year.

It says he demonstrated the ability to: l walk to the local bus stop l stand or sit at the bus stop and wait for a bus l enter the bus in a calm and safe manner l sit on the bus and observe through the windows BRAG is a two-week programme of sports, dance and arts events for young people aged 11 to 15.

Bobby, who has taken part in the scheme for the last four years, was one of 200 youngsters who received certificates and 920 youngsters who joined last year’s scheme.

Dad Andy Loynes said: “When he got the certificate we all fell about laughing, it’s just so silly. I don’t understand the point of it.”

He added: “I feel quite sorry for the council because it’s a fantastic scheme that’s been tarnished by these inappropriate certificates.”

The council has also defended the scheme, saying this year’s certificates will only be issued to those who choose to receive one.

A council spokesman said: “The Youth Service has a policy to promote opportunities for young people to achieve and certificates allow us to reward young people for their achievement.

“It’s not just about sitting on a bus, it’s about reading timetables properly and planning the best route, which is behind the whole idea of encouraging self-reliance.”