Tim Worstall

Really?

Gosh:

According to
    the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Britain
    ploughs around 4.6 per cent of gross domestic product into primary
    and secondary education, ranking fifth out of 30 developed
    countries.
…
Even more damning statistics are produced by the US
    Institute for Education Sciences, which regularly surveys
    international standards in mathematics. In its most recent
    assessment, British 14-year-olds were out-performed by their
    contemporaries in 17 other countries. The average score in Singapore
    was 605, in Korea 589 and Hong Kong 586. In England and Scotland it
    was 498. In Western Europe, only Norwegians and Italians did worse.

We spend more money and get worse results. The Norwegians, who spend even more, get even worse results. Gosh, could it be that it is the way we spend the money, not the amount we spend, which is at fault?

In

6 responses

  1. Jim Avatar
    Jim

    “In England and Scotland it was 498.”
    No, that’s a lie. In Scotland it was 498. In England the statistic wasn’t collected. See here if you don’t believe me: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d05/tables/dt05_394.asp
    Even leaving that aside, education spending has risen strongly in the past few years, which won’t have had so much of an effect on 14 year olds (in 2003, when the data was collected) who were already well into their schooling. Any academic worth their salt, which obviously excludes Niall Ferguson, would realise that you’d have to wait a bit to properly assess the effects of the extra expenditure.
    But who cares about truth and accuracy when you’re slagging off the education system, eh Tim?

    Reply
  2. dearieme Avatar
    dearieme

    “education system”? Is that schools, then?

    Reply
  3. Kit Avatar
    Kit

    If you want more depressing reading go to the Centre of Innovation in Mathematics at Plymouth Uni.
    http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk
    And read the Kassel report. The report dates from 10 years ago but it shows how effective this government has been – they have started from a low base and managed to get worst.
    The good news is that the site provides worksheets for kids:
    http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/primary/default.htm
    Which my kids use and are great.

    Reply
  4. sanbikinoraion Avatar
    sanbikinoraion

    Seconding Jim – do your homework properly, Tim, or people might think you’ve had a poor education….

    Reply
  5. zgatt Avatar
    zgatt

    Some contest these sorts of reports by suggesting that in some nations only the best students are measured, as only the best are in the education system. This would really make it unfair to compare to countries whose goal is universal education.
    I’ve never been able to come to a conclusion on this, can anyone help clarify?
    –z

    Reply
  6. Mark Wadsworth Avatar
    Mark Wadsworth

    Jim, Nulab have been in charge for ten years, how much longer does this have to go on before you admit that it is not working?

    Reply

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