Page 21 - Looking_after_school

1. Today's discourse: why should the student be at the center of education?

“Across the EU, reforms have streamlined curricula. They have intro-
duced national standardised tests; established an infrastructure of liter-
acy, maths, and science centres; created teacher networks and continuing
professional development; and stepped-up action to improve digital and
media literacy. Nevertheless, underperformance remains and addressing
low achievement is now urgent. The share of 15-year-olds in Europe that
have not acquired basic skills is around 20%, while five countries have
over 25% low achievers in reading. Member States need to introduce
new systemic reforms to strengthen early screening and intervention
for learning difficulties and to replace repetition or ability grouping with
increased learning support.” (European Commission, 2012, p. 4)

This quote clarifies that education is considered an essential element
in building a competitive European knowledge economy; it also states,
however, that the major challenge in this regard is overcoming the
lack of efficiency and effectiveness in educational institutions. Europe
problematises grade retention, or forms of streaming (making fixed
class groups according to the level of students) and setting (differen-
tiation according to subjects) because these institutional strategies
are not effective and efficient; they do not develop (fast) enough the
potential of all young people. We are however not dealing with a social
problematisation of ‘hidden talents’, as was the case in progressive
policies during the 1960s (van Heek, 1968). The contemporary talent
projects clearly originate from an economic stance. Educational insti-
tutions are called upon to realise a maximum output for the knowl-
edge economy, which means that they must target the potential of
every student more than they do presently. The student’s potential, in
this line of argumentation, is the source of human capital.
A similar socio-economic problematisation of education, which may
or may not be influenced by these programs and projects, appears
throughout European member states. Tony Blair, former Prime Min-
ister of the United Kingdom, set the stage in 2001 with his expression
“education, education, education”:

“Our top priority was, is and always will be education, education, educa-
tion. To overcome decades of neglect and make Britain a learning society,
developing the talents and raising the ambitions of all our young people.”

21