The government’s post-16 education and skills White Paper has finally been published, but it was a pre-released announcement about the introduction of another new vocational qualification that made headlines. The announcement that the government will be consulting over new V (Vocational Level) awards has sent alarm bells through the post-16 sector, not least because it’s … Continue reading Skills White Paper. Another new vocational qualification to hit schools and colleges soon?
Category: Education and economy
‘Skills’ goes to McFadden
As part of his reshuffle, prime minister Keir Starmer has moved responsibility for ‘skills’ from the Department for Education to the Department for Work and Pensions. Pat McFadden, formerly of the Cabinet Office, has moved jobs, replacing the struggling Liz Kendall at the DWP - although it’s reported a new ‘growth department’ is going to … Continue reading ‘Skills’ goes to McFadden
Education, the Bank and the bond markets
Labour’s economic problems are compounded by the neo-liberal model it has enslaved itself to. Without the economic growth the government is praying for, there isn’t enough taxation revenue to cover even its limited public spending intentions. 'Unforeseen' events continue to undermine the ‘headroom’ it has to manoeuvre, without resorting to the tax increases or spending … Continue reading Education, the Bank and the bond markets
Does the Reeves budget take things forward?
Make no mistake, there are some progressive intentions behind this week’s budget, as the Starmer government sets out to address the UK economy’s miserable performance since the financial crash, the rapid decline of public services and disintegrating infrastructure. Labour plans a £70 billion increase in public spending, with over £20 billion for the NHS, just … Continue reading Does the Reeves budget take things forward?
No money for education?
Keir Starmer’s Labour will be campaigning on the economy this week. It will continue to remind us about how the Tories abysmal economic record has bankrupted the country, quickly pointing the finger at Liz Truss, but also Sunak and Hunt’s incompetence (though saying almost nothing about the damage done by Brexit). As a result Labour … Continue reading No money for education?
The post-war educational project comes off the rails (version 2 and policy critique)
Rab Butler - instigator? 2024 marks the eightieth anniversary of the momentous 1944 Butler Act, considered a triumph for progressive reform. Though times may have changed, post-war assumptions about education remain. First, that for economic growth to continue and to keep pace with other countries, there is a need for greater levels of ‘human capital’ … Continue reading The post-war educational project comes off the rails (version 2 and policy critique)
The Department for Education gives a thumbs down to AI.
While prime minister Sunak was snuggling up to the tech giants in a pretence about AI security, the Department for Education had already published bland guidelines about some of the implications for education. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/generative-artificial-intelligence-in-education While accepting that AI is an important tool: Generative AI tools are good at quickly: analysing, structuring, and writing text turning … Continue reading The Department for Education gives a thumbs down to AI.
‘Rip off’ universities and ‘Mickey Mouse’ degrees – the latest stage in education’s ‘Great Reversal’?
Rishi Sunak’s provocative remarks about ‘rip off’ universities and ‘Micky Mouse’ degrees are merely the latest stage in Tory attempts to limit the number of students attending HE. There have been a series of initiatives, in particular the 2019 Augar report which sought to leaver more young people into job-related courses in FE; the 2021 … Continue reading ‘Rip off’ universities and ‘Mickey Mouse’ degrees – the latest stage in education’s ‘Great Reversal’?
Chinese youth: racing after qualifications, or ‘lying flat’?
Chinese graduates face an increasingly difficult jobs market. Churning out 12 million of them every year, China’s economy is suffering from a mismatch between the jobs available and the qualifications of jobseekers. Between 2018 and 2021 the number of graduates increased by more than 20%. In response, Chinese authorities have announced subsidies for companies that … Continue reading Chinese youth: racing after qualifications, or ‘lying flat’?
What did happen to ‘Core Skills’?
The think tank Demos has launched a major attack on the inadequacies of the current school curriculum and how it is failing many young people seeking employment. https://demos.co.uk/research/the-employability-badge-skills-for-life-work-and-a-stronger-society/ Demos reports that transferable skills are now more valuable to employers - skills like leadership, teamwork, problem solving and emotional resilience for example. It argues that schools … Continue reading What did happen to ‘Core Skills’?
Education, Economy and Society 