Application for Education Secretary job!

Marina Hyde sensibly was willing to "bet that there are people who quite want to be secretary of state for education" (With a heavy heart, Johnson remembers the real victim:him, 02/12/21). My first decision would be to ensure all involved in the front-line of delivering education in the UK were prioritised for the Covid vaccinations, quickly followed by announcing that all schools be closed until at least the end of January, except for vulnerable children and those of key workers. Added impetus would be given to ensuring all disadvantaged children without the necessary technology received it as soon as possible. All external examinations would be cancelled immediately, replaced by externally moderated teacher assessments. A group made up of teachers` representatives, unions and examination board officials would be set up to phase out gradually all external examinations. The chancellor would have to be challenged on any proposals to freeze teachers` pay, insisting instead on a considerable pay increase for classroom teachers, whilst pay reforms at universities and in higher education would introduce a pay cap for vice-chancellors, and move towards all lecturers being given permanent contracts. A start could be made to eroding what David Feldman called the "mosaic of harms and harassment" endured by racial and religious minorities in our universities by a serious revision of admissions procedures (Universities should not be told how to fight antisemitism, 02/12/20). Universities should have to accept the so-called "privilege cap", which would limit the proportion of students accepted from private schools to the national figure of 7%. This would force universities into adopting contextual admissions policies, and making more room for talented pupils from the underfunded schools, from underprivileged families and from economically deprived areas, whose potential remains seriously untapped. Ok, Marina,assuming I can work from home, when do I start?