Opinion

Politicians' short-term focus is bad for education

Politicians' focus on short-term gain and 'power' means they will never drive genuine long-term improvements to education, says Pete Henshaw.

The findings of the OECD's latest report, which bemoaned a lack of oversight of educational reforms in countries around the world, make for somewhat depressing reading. Our government's response to this report only served to add to this feeling – as facts and "evidence" continue to be cherry-picked and spun. It is clear all eyes are on May's General Election rather than long-term educational success.

The OECD's report found that only around one in 10 of the 450 different reforms put in place across its member nations between 2008 and 2014 were evaluated for their impact by governments. Andreas Schleicher, OECD's director for education and skills, said: "Too many education reforms are failing to measure success or failure in the classroom. While it is encouraging to see a greater focus on outcomes, rather than simply increasing spending, it's crucial that reforms are given the time to work and their impact is analysed."

Register now, read forever

Thank you for visiting Headteacher Update and reading some of our content for professionals in primary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.

What's included:

  • Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcasts

  • New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here