Originally posted on Think Left:
We are told that Michael Gove’s reforms to education are a real success story.
In spite of lacking a formal mandate from the electorate, Gove has launched headlong into massive funding of ‘free schools’ and attempting to turn all schools into academies, outside council control. Many recognise this to be preparing for the next step of profit-making and privatisation of education.
However, this ‘success’ can hardly be said to be reflected in the polls. According to a Guardian/ICM poll last April, there is strong public opposition to major planks of Michael Gove’s education reforms. For example, 68% of Labour supporters, 58% of Lib Dems and 58% of Ukip supporters voted for councils retaining their responsibilities towards schools. Overall, a majority of 57% agreed that councils should have an important role in over-seeing education.
Furthermore, in 2012:
In spite of lacking a formal mandate from the electorate, Gove has launched headlong into massive funding of ‘free schools’ and attempting to turn all schools into academies, outside council control. Many recognise this to be preparing for the next step of profit-making and privatisation of education.
However, this ‘success’ can hardly be said to be reflected in the polls. According to a Guardian/ICM poll last April, there is strong public opposition to major planks of Michael Gove’s education reforms. For example, 68% of Labour supporters, 58% of Lib Dems and 58% of Ukip supporters voted for councils retaining their responsibilities towards schools. Overall, a majority of 57% agreed that councils should have an important role in over-seeing education.
Furthermore, in 2012:
‘Gove gave all academies the right to hire teachers who had not undergone formal training…
View original 487 more words
