Education Secretary Gillian Keegan informed lawmakers that the Schools Bill will not go to its third reading during her first appearance before the Educations Committee in her new position as secretary of state. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has announced that the government’s plan to “raise education standards across the country” through a number of measures has been scrapped in its current shape.
The law included plans to strengthen multi-academy trusts, implement registries for kids who aren’t in school, and give Ofsted more authority to take action against unregistered schools that are operating illegally.
The measure, which was introduced back in May, will “underpin the government’s ambition for every child to receive a world-class education, no matter where in the country they live”, according to earlier statements from the administration.
I can affirm that the Schools Bill will not advance in the third session [of Parliament], Ms. Keegan informed the lawmakers.
According to ministers, the bill delivers the fundamental legislation required to strengthen the educational system as well as crucial child safety measures.
We have got a lot of things to concentrate on. We will prioritize certain of the bill’s provisions in order to evaluate what we can do, but we do remain dedicated to the bill’s many vital objectives, Ms Keegan said.
A registration of kids who aren’t in school is still “definitely a priority,” according to Ms. Keegan, for the government.
Since lords in the House of Lords withdrew crucial provisions that would have given the Department of Education extensive control over how academies function in September, the bill has not advanced.
In order to help local authorities ensure that every kid is receiving the best education possible and that homeschooling families are supported, the government has recommended the establishment of local authority-managed registers for children who are not enrolled in school.
The bill also move to a direct national financing formula, which would guarantee that all schools, no matter where they were located, received funding on an equal basis.
Ms. Keegan stated in another section of the committee hearing that certain institutions have “lost their way” when it comes to discussing tough problems.