What is the point of education? A blog series

There is much dissatisfaction with the education system at the moment. This opinion comes from a broad range of stakeholders who interact, and require, education to work. 

From the teaching profession. Nearly half of teachers could leave the profession in two years - this is unprecedented. We have a teacher recruitment and retention crisis in the UK. From the learners themselves. Young people are significantly less happy at school, their mental health has declined.

What solutions are there to the current problems we face in our education system? This is such a broad question and there is no shortage of opinion. We all have an experience of education - good or bad - and they inform our views on how education should be. In my conversations online and in real life, there is one common denominator: too many children and young people are being failed by the current system. 

In order to gain a real understanding of the complexities we face in the sector, I’m starting with a series where I’m exploring the purpose of education. I’m looking at it from different perspectives: 

• Education from the view of the Department of Education

• Education for the sake of learning

• Education to enable a process to standardise a diverse cohort into something measurable

• Education from the view of the employer

• Education from the view of the teaching body

• Education from the view of the students

My question to you: what is missing?