We will ensure that British citizens are educated and trained in skills that will equip them for a productive and fulfilling life.
An annual review of our standing in international rankings of education systems.
This is an easy one. The ranks of the unemployed and the prison population contain a far greater proportion of adult illiterates than the population in general. And adult illiteracy is a huge failing of our education system. We owe it to these people urgently to give them this basic life skill.
100 days: We will set up a programme to match 1m adult illiterates with 1m volunteers to teach them to read to the standard required for the Daily Mirror. Teaching materials will be made available on the internet
1 year: We will implement the programme
5 years: We will continue until we have virtually eradicated adult illiteracy
The education system is confused – we have different systems in different areas, too much attention given to “academic” subjects, inadequate use of technology and more. We have a system whose working hours are totally out of kilter with the rest of society, which only keeps going by making huge and untenable demands on teachers, which fails adequately to engage parents and yet which produces decent if not fantastic results. We can do better.
100 days: We will commission market research to identify 5 structural options for the education system
1 year: We will appoint a team to campaign in the consultation for each option – to spell out the details and the benefits, but also to be honest about the disadvantages
5 years: We will test opinion. There will almost certainly not be an outright winner but the consensus view should be clear. So we will implement the consensus decision
Longer term: We will monitor progress and refine the system
There are many things we can do to make the education system a better service to communities.
5 years: We will proceed in accordance with the referendum decision