Callaghan: schools still failing the poor 

25 years on from 'great debate', ex-PM reflects on progress 

British education is still failing to realise the potential of poor
children, the former prime minister Lord Callaghan says today. 

1976

In his 1976 speech, Lord Callaghan became the first prime
minister in office to voice fears about the quality of teaching in
schools and go into the "sacred garden" of the curriculum. He
voiced complaints from industry that school-leavers "sometimes
do not have the basic tools to do the job that is required." 

The speech infuriated teaching unions, who resented
interference from government. But it had a huge influence on
public debate about education and paved the way for the
introduction of the national curriculum by the Tories in 1988.

------------ 

Lord Callaghan says in the interview: "I think teachers have now
got the opportunity of belonging to a first class profession, one
that's highly respected. They lost respect, there was no doubt,
for many years, and I think now it is possible they are regaining
it." 

He added: "I do feel ... that there is a pulse of energy surging
through the education system and I think it's now for all those
who are practitioners to take this opportunity. 

Will Woodward, education editor
Tuesday October 16, 2001
The Guardian 

"The Guardian" - English broadsheet
                                    
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"Perceptions" note:-

Britain's schools today are still divided into "sink" schools" 
    
attended only by working-class, or black or immigrant children -
regarded by teachers and local authorities as "not worth 
investment or effort" ]

or "centers of excellence" where white, upper-class pupils
are given many times the resources, both in cash & equipment and
in effort and motivation, by class-biased and race-biased 
(white) teacher `professionals'

This fact is denied or ignored by teachers, media, civil-servants
and politicians - hypocrites all.   

R J-D

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