Current educational system in UK is antiquated, educator says

Anyone suddenly finding themselves transported back to the 1860s would immediately notice many differences in the way people lived and dressed and in terms of transport, industry and communication. But there would be one institution that would be instantly familiar. The schools, with teachers drilling large classes in the three "Rs," have hardly changed at all.

It is odd to think that in a time of globalization, mass transport, and communication systems, and the inexorable rise of the computer, the education system remains unaffected. It should be remembered that young children have a strong desire to learn. Yet, in our present system in the United Kingdom and in spite of the changes to society, this is not encouraged. Instead, they are given what they most resent; learning is replaced by being taught.

The National Curriculum, with the implacable domination of fact, the countless testing, and the compartmentalization into skills and subjects, runs counter to all that children need. Read more of this opinion piece by Cedric Cullingford, professor at Huddersfield University's School of Education and Professional Development in The Yorkshire Post online.