Westminster meddlers 'destroying confidence in British education'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Meddling FROM politicians is destroying public confidence in the UK exams system, a senior exams official warned yesterday.
Simon Lebus, chief executive of Cambridge Assessment, said ministerial interference had inflicted widespread damage on the international standing of Britain's education system.
Cambridge Assessment, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary is the parent body for Oxford and Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) – one of the big three exam bodies – and the university of Cambridge International Examinations. It is pioneering the introduction of the Pre-U, built along the lines of the traditional A-level without coursework.
Speaking to an international conference of exam experts in Cambridge, Mr Lebus said that, as a result of politicians becoming involved in the design of qualifications, "we have seen the Government ordering the use of calculators in and out of the exams system seven times in the last decade, the introduction and removal of coursework and political engagement at the level of the Secretary of State in the highly technical question of how to set the grade boundary for the new A* at A-level being introduced this month".
Mr Lebus added: "This interference is counterproductive. It harms public confidence and means that people do not believe politicians' annual protestations that things are getting better since the claim is impossible to verify with the education and qualification system in a ferment of perpetual change."
The growing political interference had led to increased demand for international qualifications such as theInternational Baccalaureate, the IGCSE – built along the lines of the old O-level and now being taken by scores of independent schools – and the Pre-U.
nAlmost one in four pupils at rural schools leaves without a single GCSE pass above a D grade while one in 20 leaves without a single GCSE, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers reported yesterday.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments