UKIP Launches New Education Policy

gimlet · 12-08-2006, 08:25 AM

From the main site

Quote:

UKIP Launches New Education Policy

12-08-2006

'Independence' is the key word for the U.K. Independence Party's new education policy, which is launched today (12.8.06).

(Click image to download Adobe PDF version of Policy)

Promising to address the fundamental problems in our education system rather than treat it as another political football, UKIP's radical approach combines the best of the old and the new to outline plans for a system which allows children to achieve their full potential. Party Chairman David Campbell Bannerman said that the latest policy launch was a continuation of the Party's continuing effort to broaden its policy base: "Unlike the traditional parties, we are not constrained by dogma nor tainted with the blame of creating the current system, which fails our young so badly."

Party Leader Roger Knapman MEP echoed those sentiments: "When you look at what the Government has created, it bodes ill for all our futures. An education system which leaves 25% of 11 year olds functionally illiterate and which actively discourages the less well off from higher education, cannot be what Mr Blair meant when he said education, education, education back in 1997.

"We are determined to create an education system which create opportunity, not stagnation, for our children."

Outlining the main points, UKIP said that the strategy behind its policy was based on independence:

Independence for parents to decide what is best for their children
Independence for schools to decide who they wish to teach, and how
Independence for teachers, to be free to plan their lessons uninhibited by Whitehall
Independence for children to excel in their fields

We believe that over the last decades, education has been treated as nothing more than a political football. It is time to make what is best for children, schools, parents and teachers the major priority it deserves to be.

Primary schools to concentrate on the basic tools of education
No compulsory testing until 11
Selection: both by parents and schools
The support of existing and encouragement of new grammar schools
The abolishing of high education targets and the boosting of vocational studies
The reintroduction of student grants and the removal of university fees
The abolition of LEAs and Ofsted

Today's reality:

ONE IN FOUR CHILDREN CANNOT READ AT THE AGE OF ELEVEN (1)

A PASS GRADE CAN BE OBTAINED IN GCSE MATHS WITH FOUR OUT OF FIVE QUESTIONS ANSWERED INCORRECTLY (2)

20% OF SECONDARY TEACHERS HAVE BEEN FALSELY ACCUSED OF ASSAULT OR INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT (3)

72% OF SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS ARE CONSIDERING LEAVING THE PROFESSION (4)

SOME UNIVERSITIES HAVE DROPOUT RATES OF OVER 40% (5)

40% OF BRITISH STUDENTS WILL LEAVE UNIVERSITY AT LEAST £10,000 IN DEBT (6)

Encs

Education: Time to come clean

The UK Independence Party August 2006

Notes

1 Figure quoted in 2004 by Prime Minister Blair. See also CBI report. (Footnote 7.)

2 Green, de Waal and Crockett, Education:Better results and declining standards, P10. Civitas on-line briefing 2005.

3 Source: http://www.sec-ed.co.uk/cgi-bin/go.p....html?uid=1215

4 ATL press release, 22/03/05.

5 Sources: http://www.iee.org/OnComms/Circuit/benefits/dropout.cfm. See also BBC news item, 19th December 2001 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/1719435.stm)

6 Source: http://www.nusonline.co.uk/news/272089.aspx

andypandy · 12-08-2006, 10:26 AM

Why is the Party Chairman allowed to put his name to new policy objectives during a leadership election in which he is a candidate?

Would it not be for the best that such press releases are simply attributed to the respective policy department or body within UKIP? This would at least avoid any claims of unfair promotion of one or other candidates names?

eublues · 12-08-2006, 10:38 AM

So where is the policy? (Surely this shopping list isn't it?)

Pity about the typos ("high" education, stray commas and the like).

Pity also about the unnecessary exaggeration : eg 25% of children can't read at 11 (can't read or can't very well?); 40% drop out from university courses is rather unusual.

Tom Wilde · 12-08-2006, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eublues

So where is the policy? (Surely this shopping list isn't it?)

The policy itself is here:

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimlet

From the main site

Quote:

(Click image to download Adobe PDF version of Policy)

The link to the PDF doesn't work in Gimlet's posting, but I've just nipped over to the main site and I can see it is in fact:

http://www.ukip.org/pdf/ukipeducation.pdf

It's quite a long document. I can see why they put out a brief press release as a taster rather than just hitting everyone with the policy itself.

John Page · 12-08-2006, 11:06 AM

No, you have to read the referenced PDF.

My first reaction is that it lands some good obvious hits (e.g. firmer discipline, stop grade inflation, abolish coursework). I'm not convinced its huge effective 11+ would be acceptable, and the case for selection isn't rigorously argued (though maybe that's not the place to do it). For example, it talks down mixed ability teaching (I agree) but doesn't mention setting.

Also (for instance) I'm unclear

- What happens to underperforming schools if the local community is listless

- How the vouchers would work (secondary schools only? what if no nearby school wants to take a child? why couldn't schools in demand be allowed to expand?)

- Why one science subject up to the age of 16? Why shouldn't children take 0 levels earlier if they can? (Our top stream took 0's at 14, giving more time in the 6th form.) Why is it better to study one science subject in some depth rather than have an overview of 2 or 3?

These are just some initial questions, but the document doesn't convince me that the authors had a clear idea of the working of their system in their heads before they sat down to write.

By coincidence The Telegraph's John Clare has a long valedictory article in the paper today, but it doesn't seem to be on their site yet.

eublues · 12-08-2006, 11:49 AM

Quote:

(Click image to download Adobe PDF version of Policy)

Thanks for pointing this out to me.

Surely it should say: Click on image to download the full policy. And why not just say: Click here for full policy. (?)

The proportion of typos in the press release is about the same as in the current edition of Independence.

mkpdavies · 12-08-2006, 12:20 PM

My only concern is the timing.

Why on earth would you release such a thing during parliaments recess, during a time when terrorism is dominating the front pages?

Couple that with the fact this would have been the best sort of thing for a new leader to launch and the logic becomes even more fuzzy.

UNLESS

The good of UKIP isn't actually the goal here, but the good of one particular candidates election campaign.

What with the advert in the spectator, I think we know exacty the purpose of this release.

BASILDON BOY · 12-08-2006, 12:24 PM

Is it me or does it appear to be the Conservative Education Policy from the 2005 General Election?

mkpdavies · 12-08-2006, 12:26 PM

It's you.

BASILDON BOY · 12-08-2006, 12:38 PM

Education vouchers, cutting back on University places to name but two!

12-08-2006, 12:20 PM	#7 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 31,053 Party: Libertarian Party	My only concern is the timing. Why on earth would you release such a thing during parliaments recess, during a time when terrorism is dominating the front pages? Couple that with the fact this would have been the best sort of thing for a new leader to launch and the logic becomes even more fuzzy. UNLESS The good of UKIP isn't actually the goal here, but the good of one particular candidates election campaign. What with the advert in the spectator, I think we know exacty the purpose of this release. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

12-08-2006, 12:26 PM	#9 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 31,053 Party: Libertarian Party	It's you. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

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12-08-2006, 10:26 AM	#2 (permalink)
andypandy Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 880	Why is the Party Chairman allowed to put his name to new policy objectives during a leadership election in which he is a candidate? Would it not be for the best that such press releases are simply attributed to the respective policy department or body within UKIP? This would at least avoid any claims of unfair promotion of one or other candidates names?

12-08-2006, 10:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
eublues Uber Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,122	So where is the policy? (Surely this shopping list isn't it?) Pity about the typos ("high" education, stray commas and the like). Pity also about the unnecessary exaggeration : eg 25% of children can't read at 11 (can't read or can't very well?); 40% drop out from university courses is rather unusual.

12-08-2006, 11:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
John Page Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Welwyn Hatfield (Herts.) Posts: 1,878	No, you have to read the referenced PDF. My first reaction is that it lands some good obvious hits (e.g. firmer discipline, stop grade inflation, abolish coursework). I'm not convinced its huge effective 11+ would be acceptable, and the case for selection isn't rigorously argued (though maybe that's not the place to do it). For example, it talks down mixed ability teaching (I agree) but doesn't mention setting. Also (for instance) I'm unclear - What happens to underperforming schools if the local community is listless - How the vouchers would work (secondary schools only? what if no nearby school wants to take a child? why couldn't schools in demand be allowed to expand?) - Why one science subject up to the age of 16? Why shouldn't children take 0 levels earlier if they can? (Our top stream took 0's at 14, giving more time in the 6th form.) Why is it better to study one science subject in some depth rather than have an overview of 2 or 3? These are just some initial questions, but the document doesn't convince me that the authors had a clear idea of the working of their system in their heads before they sat down to write. By coincidence The Telegraph's John Clare has a long valedictory article in the paper today, but it doesn't seem to be on their site yet.

12-08-2006, 12:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
BASILDON BOY Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: N'Djamena, Chad Posts: 1,819	Is it me or does it appear to be the Conservative Education Policy from the 2005 General Election?

12-08-2006, 12:38 PM	#10 (permalink)
BASILDON BOY Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: N'Djamena, Chad Posts: 1,819	Education vouchers, cutting back on University places to name but two!