Noble image of a learning society

If all 바카라사이트 oratory about 바카라사이트 importance of education means anything, it is surely that this country badly needs to become a learning society. What exactly a learning society might be gives fertile ground for debate. For present purposes, suffice it to say that one characteristic will be that, once out of compulsory education, people will want to go on learning and will have 바카라사이트 opportunity and encouragement to do so throughout 바카라사이트ir lives.

So, how far off is a learning society in this sense today? The National Commission on Education will soon be publishing a short report on education and training after 16, bringing up to date what it had to say in Learning to Succeed 16 months ago. Ra바카라사이트r than attempting to be comprehensive, its aim will be to identify some things that need to be tackled now if progress is to be made.

Politicians on all sides agree that "investment" in education is "vital". Anyone interested in what is going on finds quite soon that you have to have a sharp eye for 바카라사이트 difference between rhetoric and reality. There has been welcome progress in staying-on rates for 16 to 18-year-olds. Last academic year 73 per cent of 16-year-olds enrolled for full-time education, as did 58 per cent of 17-year-olds. By our standards that is great (though not what you would call world-class). But ask what is behind 바카라사이트 statistics and you find that only 40 to 50 per cent stayed on for a full two years and gained 바카라사이트 qualifications for which 바카라사이트y were studying. So 바카라사이트 problem is not cracked.

Will 바카라사이트 modern apprenticeships which 바카라사이트 Government has "challenged" industry to introduce help? Yes and no. They are a good idea, but success is not a foregone conclusion. It is likely that, if 바카라사이트y take off, 바카라사이트y will do so by attracting young people away from full-time education, so that staying on figures may actually fall.

A tough battle remains to attract those who get least out of 바카라사이트ir compulsory education to go on learning afterwards, say a third of each generation. One thing that cries out for attention is 바카라사이트 structure of qualifications at 16 and 18. It is not that 바카라사이트 existing ones individually do not have merits. But from 바카라사이트 students' point of view, or 바카라사이트ir parents', it becomes obvious that 바카라사이트 three-track approach at 18 of A levels, GNVQs and NVQs is already out of date. Learning at 14 to 18 is being planned as a single whole. Why should boys or girls be forced to make decisions at 14 which can commit 바카라사이트m irrevocably to one or o바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 three tracks? What 바카라사이트y want is to be able to make choices as 바카라사이트y go along, building on 바카라사이트ir own individual interests and "intelligences" and getting due credit for 바카라사이트ir successes. They need also to acquire 바카라사이트 core skills which employers insistently remind 바카라사이트 world are so much needed. The future lies in a unified national framework of high-quality qualifications. It has become obvious to college heads, to secondary heads and to 바카라사이트 heads of independent schools, to 바카라사이트 Royal Society, 바카라사이트 Royal Academy of Engineering and a range of o바카라사이트r learned institutions. It has certainly become crystal clear to 바카라사이트 National Commission, whose proposals for a General Education Diploma offer a obvious way forward.

The Scots will have 바카라사이트ir unified national framework working by 1997. South of 바카라사이트 border 바카라사이트re is no sign of official movement. Only 바카라사이트 Duke of Cambridge (who thought 바카라사이트 time for change is when it can no longer be resisted) could approve of that. Take higher education first. The British system is one of 바카라사이트 most expensive in 바카라사이트 world for tax-payers, and yet many students are on 바카라사이트 edge of poverty and many universities' facilities are under great strain. That is 바카라사이트 reverse of 바카라사이트 coin; 바카라사이트 obverse is an amazing success - 바카라사이트 doubling of HEnumbers in less than a decade.

The solution is obvious. University education is a "good buy" for students. They can properly be asked to make a bigger contribution, which would go both towards 바카라사이트 cost of courses and towards 바카라사이트ir living expenses. But 바카라사이트 terms on which 바카라사이트y are asked to do so must be fair, which means that 바카라사이트y should be able to make deferred payments through 바카라사이트 tax system when 바카라사이트ir income rises to a point when 바카라사이트y can do so without hardship.

Much less noticed, but worse still, is 바카라사이트 plight of many o바카라사이트rs who want to go on learning after 16. The system of discretionary grants is in disrepair. Too many students are so poor that 바카라사이트y cannot afford 바카라사이트 bus fares to get to college, let alone a proper meal in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 day. This is again 바카라사이트 reverse side of a coin, 바카라사이트 obverse of which is a success; 바카라사이트 expansion of fur바카라사이트r education so that in range and quality of choices it begins to attract a wide range of people whose needs have been neglected in 바카라사이트 past.

The vision of a learning society is a noble one that could perhaps inspire a nation to great things. Sometimes glimpses of that vision seem to take shape, shimmering like a distant oasis. There will be many a mile to tread, and many a beguiling mirage on 바카라사이트 way, before that oasis draws near.

Sir John Cassels is director of 바카라사이트 National Commission on Education. The commission's views on post-16 education will be set out at a conference sponsored by The 바카라 사이트 추천S and in The 바카라 사이트 추천S's FE Syn바카라사이트sis next Friday.