We have had a series of policy announcements over the last week. It has been fascinating how for the first time in a long time the Conservatives have been leading the field and setting the agenda and the Government has had to play catch up. As ever the Lib Dems have disappeared off the radar as the two main parties trade the policies of the next Government.
On education we have promised to:
Restore discipline in the classroom so that the minority of pupils do not ruin the education of the majority; Give parents the right to choose the best school for their children; Invest more in education so there are more good local schools; and scrap university fees so that young people do not start their careers burdened with debt.
Click above and it will take you to the full document.
The fact that a million children play truant every year is something this Government should be ashamed of. I recognise there are some who will never go to school because of their own family commitments but there are many who are alienated from school because the stridently dominant academic agenda of schools does not suit them.
The idea that we should be able to have choice is a good one. Actually in Kingston there is a good deal of choice, unless you have a son in North Kingston. Even in that area there are some good choices in Richmond. Kingston has mixed, single sex, religious schools, selection, partial selection, specialist schools. The one area we lack is a Church of England secondary school. What the real choice agenda is about is allowing successful schools to expand and this could be through federation rather than closure.
Finally on university fees. There clearly needs to come a point where education is no longer free. The judgment is when is that. I believe that a university education becoming a more common occurrence than it was 20 years ago has led it to be a bigger part of the 'formal' education process. A such it is essential that it be free. I understand the issue surrounding the funding of Universities and this is a valid aspect and one Government must address. Maybe the time has come for those who receive a University education to consider the post graduate giving that we see prevalent in the USA?
5 comments:
You wrote 'Actually in Kingston there is a good deal of choice, unless you have a son in North Kingston.'
Well I have a son in North Kingston and I know why I have no choice. Because you and your public school Tory chums closed Tudor School - and gave preference to priviledged outsiders instead of local people.
I gather Tory Boy the prime rule from your foreign election campaign chief is - never apologise.
Do you agree? Or do you think closing local schools, police stations, cutting local bobbies, introducing the poll tax, introducing the council tax, sticking interest rates up to 15%, cutting local hospitals or privatising the railways were good ideas. And please remember every sngle one of these policies (all of which have Michael Howard's fingerprints on) have harmed the people of this Royal Borough.
Aaaah! You spelt "gist" with a "j"!
Why?? Why?!?!
I think you have spelt aaaah wrong! Surely you meant aargh!!
Agree the Torys closed Tudor school for favours
Of course Tudor school was 20 years ago?
Anyway didn't the LibDems refuse a new Government funded school for the North Kingston area about 5 years ago? If I remember it was going to be built on a piece of land the Borough had bought for a school development.
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