It is a truth universally acknowledged that a shadow schools secretary hungry for government must be in want of parental votes.
Parents, particularly those of a pushy persuasion, have long been a vital constituency. Politicians court them with all the tenderness and ardour of a Mr Darcy.
Michael Gove is the latest suitor to sidle up to the electorate. He told Public Finance this week that he had a ‘strong prejudice in favour of a knowledge-based curriculum’.
This is one of the clearest indications of policy direction so far. The Conservatives want traditional academic subjects – history, literature, languages – to take centre stage on the school timetable once more. Gove appears to have little enthusiasm for the kind of teaching that equips youngsters with some of the practical skills employers claim they desperately need.
Gove wants an expansion in school places, increasing parental choice. Following the example of Sweden, the Tories want to make it easier for faith groups, charities and parents to opt out of the state system and run their own schools. As well as more faith schools, more would be run along the progressive Montessori and Steiner school lines.
Here is an unambiguous appeal to the mums and dads of Middle England – those who aspire to see their kids at Oxbridge rather than Longbridge – and it might play well in the Tories’ favour.
But whatever the electoral appeal of Gove’s sentiments, they seem to go against the prevailing wind, which regards education primarily as a driver of economic activity. Diplomas, apprenticeships, work-based learning – all are designed to turn out young people with the skills required to drive the country out of recession. Further and higher education policy is now the responsibility of Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.
This week’s announcement by Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper of the creation of 47,000 public sector jobs, including positions as carers and teaching assistants, is a timely reminder of how serious the problem of youth unemployment is.
Parents are an important constituency for the Conservatives, but so are employers. The CBI and other business leaders have lobbied hard for education reforms that put their needs squarely at the centre.
Any attempt to recalibrate curriculum priorities might well meet serious opposition from industry. Gove might yet have to swallow his pride.
