Key to Education Right

Aspiration is the key to getting education right.

 There are all of which suggests that the real problems is not one of investment, but of an unhealthy, culture within parts of the education sector. Shanghai in China was the top rated jurisdiction in each subject: ironically, a nominally communist country has embraced aspiration and elitism just as we have abandoned them. Chinese teachers who are continuously trained throughout their career enjoy such status that they can call up parents and demand to know whether children are doing their homework. The system does not presume that pupils will slowly specialize, or drop out; the expectation is that they will excel in all areas right up-to university. And behind every success story is a tiger mother or father pushing their child on. The story is similar across Asia. In Singapore more than 80 percent of primary school pupils enjoy private tuition. Compare that to the depressing statistic report that 24 percent of British students had skipped classes or whole days of school.

The UK does boast areas of excellent in education particularly in the independent and grammar sectors. But large parts of the comprehensive system have fallen victims to an egalitarian education theory that finds aspiration embarrassing. Turning that situation around will take hard work and time. Britain has to get this right not just for our economic future but for the sake of the millions of children who could achieve so much more education.