Seventy per cent of school leavers should be Left behind

A quarter of a century after Tony Blair began the process to get half of youngsters into university, the latest Labour government is being lobbied by the education sector to get even more young people into post-school education.

Universities UK (UUK) wants 70 per cent of school-leavers to carry on learning after they leave school – whether this is university or another institution.

They have clearly not realised that many who have dutifully headed to university after school now owe large sums of money, have a degree with little worth and a job which they don’t want.

Blair and those who pushed for more students to go to university ignored the ‘bell curve’ which all teachers are aware of – namely that only around 25-30 per cent of young people have good academic skills.

The New Labour policy has led to a fall in standards in universities and the introduction of new degrees that are barely academic at all.

Universities, like schools, are dominated by the political left, so there is little wonder that Labour governments and the education sector want more people to stay longer in these environments.

Former Conservative MP Jonathan Gullis says he is finding it hard to secure work as a teacher because he is a Tory, such is the dominance of the Left within schools – and despite there being a teacher shortage.

There does, however, appear to be a pushback by the younger generations against this left-leaning megalith and this gives me some hope.

Universities UK (UKK), which represents the overpaid vice-chancellors, is also, predictably, calling for much more money to be handed over to the tertiary education sector.

With a labour and skills shortage in the workforce, the emphasis must instead be placed on practical and vocational training – and learning on the job.

Here’s what a sensible government should do:

• First, it must recognise that academic skills are not the only skills of value.
• Children must leave primary school with good literacy and numeracy skills to enable them to do well in the secondary system.
• Vocational and practical pathways for those aged 14 and up who are not gifted academically must be improved and society must value these individuals as much as those following an academic route.
• Increase the number of apprenticeships, encourage learning on the job and incentivise employers to train the young.
• Double down and expect even higher standards from those students who display academic ability. Let’s make universities elite again, by slashing the number of students who go to them.

The overall focus comes from asking one question – how can individuals lead fulfilling lives at work and contribute to the economy?

The answer is to send no more than 30 per cent to university and get the rest skilled-up and out working for themselves and the country.

I am far more impressed and see far more value in the person who mends my boiler than with the graduate who has a degree in Media Studies.

ends