Whenever we get to this time of year there is always a great amount of debate surrounding education policy. The A level and the GCSE results are out; so, naturally, everyone starts talking about whether students are smarter or whether exams are just easier. Of course Michael Gove has taken this opportunity to reveal his next grand education directive: all children must gain two C’s in English and maths or they have to retake them again in post sixteen education.
This is one of Gove’s rather more curious policies. On the surface it seems perfectly reasonable: we want a well-educated work force don’t we? I feel the problem with this policy is not a lack of resources – even though I am sure there is – my issue really is the whole education philosophy that successive governments have conformed to.
Let’s face it getting two C’s in English and maths does not make someone literate and numerate. This is not a criticism of teachers or schools – even though I do have issues with the system as well – really this is an attack at the examination culture we have cultivated. Of course there will always be a place for exams in education but we have reached a point at which schools no longer teach to educate, rather they only teach to pass exams. If Gove really wants to restore rigour then he would do well to let teachers teach and stop snowing them down in a curriculum that does not serve anyone.
To me, English lessons should be about getting children excited about literature. Although some may think this is ridiculous, those of us who understand the joys of this medium know that if schools could do more to unlock this passion in children then they would be able to teach themselves, and not have to rely on teachers to spoon feed them facts to pass exams. This is probably something Gove would support but his rhetoric does not equate to action. Teachers need time and freedom to interest children in literature. As things currently stand they do not have this freedom because everyone seems to care more about targets than actual education.
The strangest thing about being at a top university is that you feel that everyone who has reached this institution has done so in spite of having an exam based education. I do not know many students who got their passion for their subject from formal education – of course I acknowledge this is truer for some subjects than others, but the fact remains.
I think we need a drastic change in priorities. We need to restore education for the sake of education; teachers need to be given more freedom to cultivate the love of learning in children. However, to do this, the focus on exams and results needs to be removed.
If you teach someone to pass a test they will have forgotten the information by the next week. If you teach someone how to seek knowledge and to enjoy seeking it, they will have that for the rest of their lives – if only Gove could realise that.