Synopses & Reviews
For many years, British scientific and technical education has been regarded as inadequate and poor in comparison to competing countries. The deficiencies of the British education system and its failure to support and promote vocational education and training to create "human capital" in the labor force have been seen as a large factor in Britain's economic decline since the 1870s. Michael Sanderson examines education's supposed part--or not--in this decline and focuses on those issues where education has been seen to fail the needs of the economy.
Synopsis
Since the 1870s the British economy has steadily declined from its position as the 'workshop of the world' to that of a low-ranking European power. Michael Sanderson offers a concise and accessible analysis of the question of how far defects in education and training have contributed to this economic decline.
Table of Contents
Introduction; 1. Literacy and schooling; 2. Was technical education to blame?; 3. The counterarguments; 4. The education of the elite 1870-1914; 5. 1914-1944: missed opportunities; 6. Postwar decline: the betrayed teenager?; 7. Higher education and the public schools: privilege and relevance?; Conclusion.