A STUDY ON THE CONTINUITY AND DISCONTINUITY OF THE EDUCATION POLICY IN THATCTHER'S AND BLAIR'S GOVERNMENTS IN ENGLAND

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

THERE ARE BASIC DIFFERENCES IN EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND ITS PURPOSES BETWEEN TATHCHER'S AND BLAIR'S GOVERNMENTS IN ENGLAND, EVEN THOUGH THEY SHARE THE SAME FRAMEWORK. IT IS THE FRAMEWORK, THE INVESTIGATORS CALL "QUALITY ASSURANCE STATE--QAS", THAT USES MARKET MECHANISMS, SCHOOL CHOICE, LOCAL MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOL STANDARDS AND TEST, AND INSPECTION AS WELL AS DIVERSIFIED PROVIDERS. HOWEVER, QAS UNDER THATCHER WAS INTENDED TO GET RID OF THE WEAKEST SCHOOL FROM THE MARKET BY USING PARENTAL CHOICE. THE RESULTS WERE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO PARENTS. ON THE CONTRARY, QAS UNDER BLAIR HAS BEEN WORKING TO RAISE STANDARDS AND TO BUILD A LIFE LONG LEARNING SOCIETY USING THE RESULTS AS THE REASONS OF INTERVENTIION OF LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITY OR CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO TAKE A REMEDY TO THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF SCHOOL. AT THE SAME TIME, SCHOOL CHOICE OR MARKET MECHANISMS ARE RECONGNISED AS THE TRIGER TO GIVE THE VOICE TO MINORITIES. IF PARENTS BECOME MORE AWARE OF THEIR CHILDRENS' EDUCATION, THEY MIGHT PLAY AS STAKEFOLDERS WITH INTERESTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.FURTHERMORE, THE BLAIR FIRST GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED "CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION" IN ORDER TO BUILD A LIFE LONG LEARNING SOCIETY. THIS POINT IS NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD. EQUAL ACCESS FOR EVERYONE IS A TARGET, SO CULTURAL AND ETHNIC DIFFERENCES HAVE TO BE RESPECTED AND RECOGNISED AS ITS OWN RIGHT. IT IS A NEW CHALLENGE.HOWEVER, SINCE THE BLAIR GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SEE DEVELOPMENT OF A MERITCRACY SOCIETY, THERE ARE BIG ARGUMENTS OVER WHAT COUNTS AS EDUCATION AND AS WHO ARE WELL EDUCATED. THESE ISSUES NOW NEED A FURTHER RESEARCH.