The Queen’s Speech highlighted only one specific aspect of the educational system, local authority involvement. Having been a local authority school governor for over 20 years, I am not in favour of encouraging schools to opt our of local authority control. The reason is simple and obvious - schools in more disadvantaged areas will lose out. In this I agree completely with the Head of Deptford Green School who appeared on various TV new bulletins yesterday. Since Deptford Green was one of the school governing bodies I sat on, albeit under a different Head, I am pleased to see the views of this school being sought.
It would be very bad indeed for Britain if the Coalition government put the clock back and recreated an educational system which consigns many children, possibly the majority, to second rate education with all that means for their future and the future of the country.
Education is, in fact, one of the EU’s current top priorities. In the Socialist and Democrat Group we are concerned that in these harsh economic times Member State Governments may cut education expenditure.
Last week I spoke about education cuts in the European Parliament.
I also made a speech about the need for universities to be closer to business in order to adequately equip students for work.
Filed under: Labour Party Tagged: | coalition government, Deptford Green School, european parliament, Socialist and Democrat Group
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I was struck by the absence of other MEPs during the two speeches. Where were MEPs numbers 471 and 472 while the first speech was taking place? During the second one Number 391 was missing and the occupant of seat 390 turned up during the speech, fiddled with her handbag and papers and then disappeared.
MEPs voted themselves even more money recently but they do not seem to be any more diligent. Perhaps they had good reasons to be away but I would speculate that on the day when the vote for more Parliamentary money was held a good turnout was seen.