Welcome
As Chair of the Liberal Democrats’ Further and Higher Education Policy Working Group, I am delighted to welcome you to our website. The aim of this site is to allow you to get involved in the work of this Group and have your say on important issues relating to the future of Further and Higher Education. In particular, this group has been set up to look at how we can ensure high quality, innovative and sustainable education, skills and training which both meet the needs of a 21st Century economy and offers genuine opportunities and equality of access to all.
Under my chairmanship the working group has produced a brief consultation paper which has been published on this site and which will form the basis of discussion at a consultative session at the Party’s autumn conference this year. However, this site also gives you the opportunity to join in the discussion online. We would be very interested to hear your views in relation to the issues outlined in the Group’s remit; you can do this by posting your comments here. Alternatively, you can contribute to the debate by submitting an article or articles relating to any aspect of the remit. Articles should be sent to articles@consult.libdems.org.uk.
Taking into account comments and articles submitted via this site, discussion at our consultative session at conference, and evidence from individuals and organisations with knowledge and expertise in this area, the group will complete their review and produce a policy paper and motion to be debated at the Party’s conference in spring 2008.
I very much look forward to reading your discussions and contributions over the next few weeks.
June 13th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
The role of parents in education is crucial from birth onward. Government should do everything possible to support and facilitate this role, both in the vital pre-school years, when parents are responsible for primary socialisation, and then throughout the years of formal schooling. To break the cycle of deprivation, it is important that all young people, especially those from homes where such educational support has not been available, learn how to care for children, interact with them as they learn to crawl and talk, use and participate in play groups, read to their children, encourage them to do homework, take them to museums and concerts, etc.. Teaching young people how to help their own children to learn can be done in partnership with non-governmental organisations and the private sector, using the electronic and print media, the Internet, and popular entertainment. Such initiatives can help bolster the confidence of young people who currently suffer from low self-regard and who would otherwise consequently under-perform as parents and educators of the next generation. This is an important component of a programme designed to enable people at the bottom of the heap to raise their own status and become valuable members of society.