- Improve and Invest into Schools and Education and teach the basis of LAW at an early age.
- Schools to put in place activities to help children learn how to resolve conflicts non-
violently. Peace Initiatives encourage members of the community, particularly in schools, to recognise that encountering conflict is a normal part of human life and to support the resolution of conflict through positive, non- violent means.
- Currently the school curriculum is still too reliant on exam success as the only suitable measure of a child’s future potential. Many of our children feel excluded, and others are simply bored, by a system which values memorising facts over aptitudes such as problem solving, team working and interpersonal social skills. We want to see a society which respects children and aims to give them the freedom to express themselves.
- We will put more emphasis on nurturing people’s talents and encouraging creative, analytical thinking, investing in an education system that is accessible to all, celebrates diversity and nurtures talent.
- Investment in universities to provide the skills and knowledge we will need as we make the shift towards a low-
carbon, low- waste, localised community. - 2010 STUDENT PROTESTS
In November 2010, there were demonstrations in London by students protesting against the government’s decision to raise the annual tuition fee cap to £9000 (where previously it had been £3290) (E) An estimated 50,000 attended this event – they said “NO!” to these drastic increases. - They felt that this decision would increase student debt and either deter people from applying to university or make it unaffordable for them to complete their studies.
- While a small group of rioters caused problems, the movement raised awareness for the cause
- (F) However, media attention mostly focused on the violence and no adjustment to this policy
was made – with several universities announcing their intention to eventually raise their fees to the maximum allowed. - The results of these measures were:
Student debt increasing to an average of over £5500 per annum. (G)
English student having almost double the debt as students in other UK regions (H)
A 9% decrease in university applications for 2012 (I)
A further 6% decrease on applications for 2013 (J)
This policy has put higher education beyond the means of thousands of young, intelligent, capable people and harmed their employment prospects. - It has burdened many more with high amounts of debt. It is essentially a betrayal of our future.