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A lot had been stewing about the PM’s latest statement about education and immigration. In his visit at the Cowley’s mini plant, he had explicitly attributed the immigration problem with that of the youth’s current educational standards.
David Cameron’s solution to this problem had been clear: “… let’s get our education system right so we are producing young people out of our schools and colleges who are fully capable of doing those jobs’.”
The education system
The education institutions turn out to be churning and producing incompetent students. To make for this lack of skills, the country’s factories employ Eastern European migrants – most of which are more than willing to fill the spot. This trend had been steadily occurring up to the present; migrant population in plants have reached half of its total worker population, according to the PM.
While this is great news for these people, it isn’t the same with UK’s young folks. To address this, Cameron had infused in the education system its perceived remedy – the work experience programme.
The programme had been controversial as apprenticeships were launch with the eye towards only one prize – work experience. Those who, on the other hand, had been balking are eyeing at the other supposed prize, salary (ie, paid apprenticeships).
Cameron is, indubitably, the programme’s steadfast believer: “It’s a cruel fact but it’s true that the best way to get a job is to have one already.”
Immigration
The growing number of migrants is a problem. They come for work and they happen to be one of the most competent bunches – “from Poland, Lithuania, or Latvia.” And as the year ends, restrictions for Bulgarian and Romanians will soon be lifted. Earlier this year, an estimate of 250,000 migrants has been identified to head for the country.
The PM’s answer to this was as follows: “Let’s have sensible controls on immigration, particularly from outside the EU where we can cap the number of people who come,” he said.
In retrospect, UK may have owed its aspirations for higher standards – in education and skills – to these migrants. Their place in the eyes of UK employers and their growing numbers had been one of the most powerful ‘wake-up call’ for the education and labour sectors, as well as, the government.
The Magic Three
Finally, the PM made the connections between the three clear: “education, welfare reform and immigration.” In paradoxical fashion, Cameron sees the solutions in the same sources of problem:
Crack those three problems together and we can really get an economy that generates wealth for our people.
This intermingling issue of immigration and education continues to take centre-stage in heated debates, be it in government offices, or citizens’ parlour. Clearly, the sector that’s been implicitly challenged is comprised of educational institutions.
This inevitably brings about another round of assessment in curriculum and in internships as the government hints for additional measures in line with its work experience programme and other such related endeavours. Another stakeholder bearing important stand here are students – as migrants are posing a serious challenge against their capacity to contribute to their motherland.
Are educational institutions and students up for the PM’s admonitions? Is the ‘work experience programme’ the sole solution for scarcity of skills and migrant numbers?
