For many people, increases in education provision and education performance have  contributed to a growth in economic productivity – the increased output per worker. But it’s the level of investment in physical rather than human capital that’s more important. From the mid-20th century, for example, the ‘Fordist’ production line increased output and reduced prices, but … Continue reading Higher productivity for the many, or just the few? →

Last week’s TUC report Stuck at the start provides clear evidence of the difficulties facing young workers. For example: • 40 per cent of workers on agency contracts or in casual work are aged 16-24 and 36 per cent of workers on zero-hours contracts are aged under 25. • Three fifths of younger workers are in … Continue reading Stuck at the start? →

Post-war economists considered education a ‘public’ but also an individual ‘merit good’ benefitting both society and the individual. Indeed, like the National Health Service, education reforms were a key part of the welfare state. Educational reformers have continued to operate with these assumptions, but in other respects, education and the NHS are very different. Devoting … Continue reading Zero-sum education? →

The Tories are pushing ahead with T (Technical) -Levels promising they represent a major reform of secondary education. Worryingly, Labour is also backing them, mistakenly thinking they will provide real opportunities for the 50% of 17-18 year olds not going university by providing the employment skills needed for social mobility in the new 21st century … Continue reading Should Labour be supporting T-levels? →

David Willetts, once Universities minister under David Cameron, now Chair at the Resolution Foundation has  made his name arguing that the current difficulties faced by young people are the result of the excesses enjoyed by their parents - the ‘baby boomer’ generation of the post-war years.  Willetts –  as architect of the  current tuition fees scandal, … Continue reading Lining up one generation against another →

A discussion paper by Martin Allen & Patrick Ainley  While welcoming the Labour Party’s policies for state education, this contribution locates them in a wider historical perspective and argues that proposals for a National Education Service now need to be part of a much wider range of policies for young people. Young people have been … Continue reading A National Education Service, but also new policies for young people →

Theresa May’s proposed ‘independent’ review of HE & FE funding received huge media attention –wrongly being sold as a commitment to lower tuition fees – a more ‘sensible’ response than Jeremy Corbyn’s promise to abolish them. In fact, there’ll be no definite proposals for a year and rather than having any independent status, the review … Continue reading Fees: Tories on the retreat? →