In advance of the forthcoming A level and GCSE results, the Institute of Directors (IoD) today publishes its 2008 Education Briefing Book, highlighting a wide disparity between official statistics on education performance and the perceptions of employers. The Briefing Book, produced in association with the Curriculum, Evaluation and Management (CEM) Centre at Durham University, presents official data on results in primary, secondary and higher education together with three alternative perspectives: the business view, based on a new survey of IoD members; a view from university admissions tutors; and a summary of academic research into changes in education standards.
Key findings from the IoD survey include:
- Only 12% of IoD members feel the Government's performance on education and skills has been favourable to business over the last 10 years. 55% believe it to have been unfavourable.
- IoD members believe the quality of education provided by schools, colleges and universities has declined over the last ten years. The deterioration is perceived to be most acute at school level: 27% of directors thought the quality of education in schools had improved, compared to 47% believing it had got worse.
- Employers consider young people's proficiency in a range of skills has weakened over the last decade, particularly in writing and mathematics. However, the overwhelming majority of directors feel IT skills have improved and that young people bring other qualities to their work, such as enthusiasm, flexibility and energy.
Other research included in the Briefing Book also casts doubt on the extent of improvement suggested by official figures:
- A comprehensive review of academic research into education standards conducted by the CEM Centre suggests official statistics might overstate the actual improvement in educational performance. The efforts to improve have been considerable; the benefits "modest at best".
- In a sample survey of 100 university admissions tutors, 72% thought the quality of undergraduates beginning a course in their department had either remained the same (32%) or deteriorated (41%) over the course of their involvement with admissions. 28% thought the quality of students had risen.
Commenting on the Briefing Book findings, Miles Templeman, Director General of the IoD, said: "It is clear that, despite the impressive political energy and resources focused on education, IoD members believe the Government has generally performed poorly in this critical arena. There is a substantial 'credibility gap' between what official statistics show and what employers feel on the front line. "It is probably impossible to determine definitively the extent to which education services have improved or otherwise over the last decade. However, the analysis conducted for the Briefing Book suggests that we approach official statistics with caution. This matters. Education and skills are a key driver of productivity and vital to the UK's competitiveness. Even at face value the official figures illustrate a need for a step change in performance to meet future skill needs. The true international challenge could be even greater."
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