Education

I share the concerns of many people over the way in which the education system is failing so many children and that so many are wasting their opportunity to learn.

Last summer, I concluded my work as Chairman of the Party’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths Task Force which reviewed all areas of policy in conjunction with the Education Task Force, and which can be found on this site. During my studies, I met with a number of Vice Chancellors of top Universities and the heads of science and engineering based industries. The teaching of maths and science in schools has been severely hampered by a lack of good teachers – themselves put off by a failure to promote these subjects as exciting and a platform to so many areas in the workplace.

Whilst I am a great supporter of our universities, there is no doubt that the Government’s push to achieve 50% of school leavers going on to do a degree has is misplaced given the low level of achievement by two-thirds of pupils in post 16 education. Much more should be done to encourage apprenticeships in non-academic fields.

March 2007