Stephen Twigg today warns Michael Gove's Ebacc plans risk "ushering in a decade of economic decline", taking Britain back to a '19th-century education system'.
Stephen Twigg will today warn Michael Gove’s Ebacc reforms risk “ushering in a decade of economic decline”, taking Britain back to a ’19th-century education system’.
Addressing the North of England Education Conference, the shadow education secretary will say Gove’s planned introduction of new exams in 2015 could:
“…wreak serious long term damage to our economy – by downgrading skills that have powered Britain, such as engineering, computing and construction, and neglecting the creative subjects.”
He will warn the Ebacc Certificates risk creating a two tier system; those pupils who don’t pass their EBCs will leave with a ‘Statement of Achievement’ which “risks becoming today’s equivalent of getting a CSE” – employers and universities are likely to place little or no value on these statements, leaving young people more at risk of dropping out.
Twigg will say:
“We are already seeing some schools pushing their pupils with low attainment away from doing the EBacc subjects.”
A recent DfE report on “The effects of the English Baccalaureate” (pdf) found this to be the case in nearly two thirds of schools:
“Where schools do not offer some pupils the opportunity to study towards the EBacc, this is typically because pupils with lower attainment are not offered the EBacc subjects; 63% of schools which do not allow all pupils to study towards the EBacc give this as a reason.
“This finding is consistent with the qualitative research: some schools explained that they targeted their most academically able pupils and encouraged them to study towards the EBacc, while less academic pupils were offered other pathways.”
The shadow education secretary will also stress the importance of schools ensuring students are “life ready” when they leave education:
“Developing character and resilience must be one of the aims of a modern curriculum. It means having an exam system that assesses the skills necessary to thrive in the modern economy.”
Mentioning the St Matthew Academy in Lewisham – which has a cadet force and is using ex-service personnel as mentors – Twigg will add:
“I was inspired by speaking to a 14-year-old girl, who talked about the fact that the mentor from the armed services had changed her life – giving her a sense of self discipline, rigour and helped get her back on the right track…
“There is a simple reason why some of the best private schools, and some of the best state schools too, focus on developing a young person’s whole potential. It’s because it prepares them for the future.”
See also:
• Twigg: Gove’s plans “both socially regressive and will take our education system backwards” – January 16th, 2013
13 Responses to “Twigg: Gove’s plans will ‘take us back to the 19th century’ and risk a “decade of decline””
LB
Well who else is there to blame?
Teacher or learner.
They are the two groups involved.
Or its it teachers, pupils and the milkman. Take your pick, its ternary, not binary.
Newsbot9
Yes, keep blaming anyone except the people who have control of educational policy and keep telling teachers what to teach, your beloved Government.
Teachers have been telling people like you that it’s not going to work for a long time, and when it doesn’t work you blame them, or say that poor kids are inherently thick.
Because otherwise you’d have to take the blame, and your 1% won’t. It doesn’t matter to you anyway, YOU can afford private schools.
You are, as ever, lashing out trying to blame SOMEONE, ANYONE else. For your sins.
LB
So out of the teacher or the pupil, who do you blame for a double first?
Newsbot9
LMAO. Yes, I’m sure you blame our system for giving people not of your class good degrees. It’s the type of totally irrelevant dodge politicians like you use when your argument’s become pointless.
LB
We don’t have double firsts in our education system…but thanks for proving you’re an American radical trying to undermine this country.
========
Depends on how many degrees you have.
1 + 1 = 2
Perhaps a course in remedial mathematics for you. 🙂