Sadly, Tristram Hunt`s analysis of the Social
Mobility and Child Poverty Commission`s report is flawed.(Report condemns
"closed shop" of Britain`s elite,28/08/14) The report does not show that "the
coalition was failing on social mobility". On the contrary, a government which,
immediately on coming to power, scraps Education Maintenance Allowances, then
triples university fees, passes school assessment reforms which disadvantage
children from poorer homes, cut funding for Sure Start Centres and libraries,
and appoints the majority of its Cabinet from the likes of Eton and the
Bullingdon club, has succeeded in achieving its objective. As the Report says,
this "social engineering" has created the "elitism so embedded in Britain
today".
Should a government determined to increase
social mobility ever gain power, it would have to restore the pre-2010 level
playing field in GCSE and A-level examinations, end not only as Owen Jones
says, "the charitable status for private schools", (A racket for the
uber-privileged,28/08/14) but also the exemption from VAT on private school
fees, as well as properly attacking the tax avoidance industry which enables so
many of those fees to be paid. University fees have to be reduced, and a cap
placed on charges for halls of residence, whilst the Oxbridge domination will
only be ended by legislation, as these universities have long shown themselves
unwilling to change. How about a law which only allows any university to recruit
7% of its undergraduates from private schools, in line with the national figure?
As long as universities favour privately-educated applicants, money will beget
money.
Lastly, that government would require an
Education Secretary from neither private school nor Oxbridge!
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