If we are to fix the education crisis the dominant ideological approach must be changed

Abstract

The dominant discourse around education in the UK has to be challenged. We need to rethink the aims of education, so that it is seen as a public good for society and a democratic right for students: equal access to higher education should be seen as a central aim of an equal and democratic society. This requires a shift away from the idea of students as consumers, acquiring qualification assets for themselves and skills that the labour market needs. Before we can think about specific policy solutions there needs to be a fundamental ideological, philosophical and discursive shift in how education is viewed within society, including its very purpose. Education is not about 'investing in one's future'. The monetisation of education and the implementation of taken-for-granted ideological approaches to education have been an unmitigated disaster, judged by any key metrics for those involved; there have been increased strikes, a high turnover of staff, plummeting morale, student disengagement, and a huge increase in attainment inequality rates. Education has the potential to be a motor for egalitarian change within society, yet if we do not challenge the currently hegemonic neoliberal narrative, its potential will never be realised