Education – Why the Basics Still Matter

Nick Gibb notes
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/08/24/tony-blair-wrong-side-education-debate/
“… maths, English, history and geography, the three sciences and a foreign language – form the basis of the curriculum in the most successful education systems around the world. It is simply wrong to believe that they are outdated: they provide the essential building blocks for future learning.
Of course, we all want young people to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills and to encourage creativity. … But it is dangerous nonsense to believe that these skills can be developed without a foundation of knowledge and academic study. Problem-solvers need maths and scientific knowledge; creativity requires a range of understanding from literature to the arts and sciences; critical thinkers need a deep knowledge of the humanities and science. These skills cannot be taught in isolation – it is academic knowledge that helps to develop these skills, not the other way round”.