The Education Policy Institute (EPI) has launched a new project, funded with a research grant from the Nuffield Foundation, which will scrutinise the main parties’ manifesto commitments on education at the upcoming 2019 General Election.
With the December 12th election expected to be dominated by Brexit, there is a risk that domestic issues may be perceived as less of a priority by political parties.
In order to ensure that education policy remains at the forefront of debates during the campaign, EPI will be publishing rigorous, independent analysis of the current challenges in education and the education pledges in party manifestos.
Published in the run up to the election, the research will:
- Outline the key priorities in education which the next government taking office should seek to address;
- Assess the likely implications and impact of education policies set out in the manifestos of the main political parties, and whether they conform to the evidence;
- Provide an assessment of how well each party’s manifesto addresses the key challenges in education, and highlight which priorities have been overlooked.
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Commenting on the launch of the new project, Natalie Perera, Executive Director and Head of Research at the Education Policy Institute, said:
“While Brexit is likely to dominate political debate over the next few weeks, it is critical that key areas of domestic policy, such as education, are not simply sidelined during the course of the campaign.”
“For this reason, the Education Policy Institute will be publishing an impartial assessment of the education pledges of each of the major political parties. Party manifesto commitments should be evidence-based, seek to address education’s biggest challenges, and improve the outcomes of young people – particularly the most disadvantaged. We look forward to assessing the detailed proposals of the parties over the coming weeks.”
Josh Hillman, Director of Education at the Nuffield Foundation, said:
“This work by EPI will assess the main parties’ commitments on all stages of education, drawing on evidence and providing much-needed independent scrutiny. This approach will improve the quality of debate and explore the implications of policy pledges beyond the purely fiscal. The research will also facilitate debate about issues that may not be directly addressed in manifesto pledges but which are crucial to achieving a successful and equitable education system.”
More information about the research project can be found here.
Further details regarding the timing of the project will be released in due course.
This research is supported by a grant from the Nuffield Foundation. The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust with a mission to advance social well-being. It funds research that informs social policy, primarily in Education, Welfare, and Justice. It also funds student programmes that provide opportunities for young people to develop skills in quantitative and scientific methods.
The Nuffield Foundation is the founder and co-funder of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics and the Ada Lovelace Institute. The Foundation has funded this project, but the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily the Foundation. Visit www.nuffieldfoundation.org
