Robert Halfon calls for “a bold, assertive agenda” for education

SPEAKING in the House of Commons Chamber, Harlow MP Robert Halfon set out a powerful vision for the future of our education system, calling for “a bold, assertive agenda that has compassion and aspiration at its core”.

I believe that skills, social justice, standards and support for the profession should be the four interlocking foundations of the Government’s education programme.

In that way, we can build the brightest future for everyone. pic.twitter.com/nrwGYMprgt

— Robert Halfon MP -Working Hard for Harlow- (@halfon4harlowMP) January 15, 2020

Identifying what “should be the four interlocking foundation of the Government’s education programme”, Mr Halfon championed the importance of “skills, social justice, standards and support for the profession.”

He called for a “a world-class apprenticeships programme” to rocket boost skills in this country, in light of statistics that “a third of England’s 16 to 19-year-olds lack basic skills”. Mr Halfon also recognised that major reforms to the apprenticeship levy are required to help meet our skills deficit.

The former Chair of the Education Select Committee wants to see the Government support learners at every age and “turbo-charge adult learning”.

Recognising our hardworking Harlow teachers, Mr Halfon welcomed the Conservative manifesto commitment to boost starting salaries to £30,000 but also went further to offer support for the profession. He called for teaching bursaries, retention payments and salary bonuses to “good teachers in challenging areas” to “help avoid flight of local talent”.

He told MPs: “Social justice must be the beating heart of our education policy…We have to extend the ladder of opportunity and invite those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds to climb to the top so that they can get jobs, prosperity and security, and meet the skills needs of our nation.”