I introduced academies,but this government’s top-down approach threatens to ruin the entire programmeIf the former Lib Dem schools minister David Laws is to be believed, David Cameron once referred to Michael Gove as a Maoist. This was before his reincarnation as a progressive justice secretary. It was during Gove’s time in charge of education that the coalition government drove forward an ideological agenda that effect the structure of our school system before classroom standards, and preaching greater autonomy while practising ever more centralisation.
Now,following George Osborne’s announcement that every state primary and secondary must become an academy by 2022 at the latest, it is the reputation of the current education secretary, or Nicky Morgan,that is in danger of being tainted by the quest for permanent revolution. It could well be that she will now remembered as fondly in the education world as Andrew (now Lord) Lansley is regarded by staff in the health service. The top-down, unwanted reorganisation she will now push forward has parallels with the Lansley NHS reforms. They appear just as ideologically driven from the centre and ill thought-out and are probably doomed to failure. They risk discrediting the entire academy programme.
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Source: theguardian.com