Commons select committee to conduct inquiry into the purpose of education

'In this inquiry we want to ask the question, what is education?'

Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education and Equalities Minister (Yui-Mo/PA-Wire)

After years spent discussing things like the Government’s reforms and standards in schools, MPs on the influential Commons select committee on education are finally getting round to asking the fundamental question: What is the point of it all?

The committee have announced it will be conducting an inquiry into the purpose of education.


 Tristram Hunt has argued that schools should move away from the “exam factory” model 
 (Getty)

It follows intense debate during the election campaign earlier this when both Nicky Morgan for the Conservatives and then Labour education spokesman Tristram Hunt argued that schools should move away from the “exam factory” model and concentrate more on character building and communication skills.

However, since the election, the issue seems to have been put on the back burner.

Neil Carmichael, the Conservative chairman of the select committee, said: “In this inquiry we want to ask the question, what is education?

“What is the purpose of our educational system? Is it, for example, to prepare our young people for the world of work? Is it to ready our children for adulthood and provide them with the skills to lead fulfilling lives? Is it to provide them with broad academic knowledge, based on a shared culture and values?”

The committee says it wants answers sent into it - by parents, students and all those involved in education - by January 25.

Only by determining the purpose of education can people then go on to assess how well the system is performing, it adds.