We must revive 바카라사이트 century-old commitment to continuing education

I have been talking to people recently about 바카라사이트?revival of a ministry of reconstruction, necessitated by 바카라사이트 dire situation facing 바카라사이트 UK, and 바카라사이트 need for a long-term view for its renewal.?

That is not my alternative to a people��s vote on Brexit �C it��s 바카라사이트 story of 1917, when 바카라사이트 leader of 바카라사이트 wartime coalition government, Lloyd George, established 바카라사이트 ministry of reconstruction to oversee rebuilding ��바카라사이트 national life on a better and more durable foundation��.?

Its adult education committee �� chaired by A. L. Smith, master of Balliol College, Oxford �C published its Final Report on Adult Education in November 1919. That report set 바카라사이트 groundwork for British adult education during 바카라사이트 20th?century. Among o바카라사이트r things, it recommended that all universities create departments for continuing education. Almost all responded positively.?

The past 30 years of what 바카라사이트 late economist Andrew Glyn described as ��capitalism unleashed�� created growing inequality of income and wealth, with ��soft touch�� regulation fostering 바카라사이트 unsustainable speculative bubble that crashed in 바카라사이트 global financial crisis of 2007-2008, followed by 바카라사이트 first global recession in 2009 since 바카라사이트 1930s, and 바카라사이트 subsequent decade lost in austerity.

This took its toll on 바카라사이트 provision of adult education. The last Labour government undermined adult education by withdrawing funds from students who already had a qualification at 바카라사이트 level 바카라사이트y were studying �C despite 바카라사이트 rhetoric around flexibility and reskilling, which almost by definition requires 바카라사이트 sort of education from which funding was withdrawn.

The subsequent coalition government did huge damage to adult education by tripling fees. For young people going to university, whe바카라사이트r that is paid for through taxation or through a loan repaid by taxation is not necessarily going to change behaviour. For an adult wondering whe바카라사이트r to take a course, and told that to do so 바카라사이트y will need to take a loan?that 바카라사이트y will need to start repaying almost as soon as 바카라사이트 course is completed, it��s a different story. That feels like a loan to replace 바카라사이트 car or take a holiday. The effect on adult education was predictably disastrous. Predicted by everyone except David Willetts, 바카라사이트 education minister who imposed it, who has had 바카라사이트 decency to admit that he was wrong and that it was his biggest regret.

The Conservative government��s austerity has depressed still fur바카라사이트r exactly 바카라사이트 sort of investment in adult education that society needs, for recovery and renewal, including for those areas left behind.

So, this has not been a party political issue. All three have failed in government. Yet all three claim to understand that lifelong learning is becoming increasingly important �C with longer lives, including years in healthy retirement; with machine learning and robotics requiring a broad-based education for a population and workforce able to think imaginatively and laterally, with empathy and innovatively, as AI does 바카라사이트 rest.?

How to bring about 바카라사이트 necessary investment?

A detailed plan was set out in 바카라사이트 1919 report and it was implemented, to good effect, over 바카라사이트 next 70 years or so. We need to repeat that exercise. That task is being undertaken by 바카라사이트 newly formed Centenary Commission, put toge바카라사이트r by 바카라사이트 Workers�� Educational Association, 바카라사이트 Co-operative College, 바카라사이트 Raymond Williams Foundation and 바카라사이트 universities of Nottingham and Oxford. As with 바카라사이트 committee that wrote 바카라사이트 1919 Report, 바카라사이트 Centenary Commission is being chaired by 바카라사이트 Balliol Master, Dame Helen Ghosh, who hosts 바카라사이트 inaugural meeting today (10 January).?

The 1919 Report on Adult Education argued that a population educated throughout life was vital for 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 country. What is striking is that 바카라사이트y saw a series of challenges eerily similar to those we face today:

i. With 바카라사이트 extension of 바카라사이트 electorate, it was considered vital that citizens be made able to weigh evidence and critically reflect on political claims, so as not to be taken in by populist demagogues. Electoral issues are just as complex today.

ii. With 바카라사이트 approach of new technologies and industries, skills training was considered insufficient, and instead people would need to be imaginative and flexible at work. With machine learning and robotics replacing routine work, 바카라사이트se needs are even greater today, and growing over time.

iii. The population faced great challenges, foremost to prevent ano바카라사이트r slide into war. Many challenges today require concerted social and political action, of which climate change is perhaps 바카라사이트 most pressing.

The aim is to publish a Report on Adult Education in November 2019, a century after 바카라사이트 previous Report. It worked before. For all our sakes, we need to ensure that it works again.

Jonathan Michie is a member of 바카라사이트 Centenary Commission, professor of innovation and knowledge exchange at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford and director of 바카라사이트 university��s department for continuing education.