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25/08/05
G.C.S.Es not providing Knowledge Economy Skills UK hi-tech industry responds to today’s exam results and outlines the need for a re-focus in education
Intellect, the trade association for the UK hi-tech industry, has today welcomed the G.C.S.E pass rate increase, but has warned that without a re-think to the style of UK education the country will struggle to develop the skills required to compete in the knowledge economy.
Speaking following the announcement Beatrice Rogers, Senior Programme Manager at Intellect said; "The UK hi-tech industry welcomes the news that the overall G.C.S.E pass rate has risen from 97.6% of the exam entries to 97.8% as it means that industry employers recruiting staff are a step closer to having access to candidates with basic literacy and numeracy skills.
However, the UK education system still does not adequately provide school leavers with the skills which will be required if the UK is to compete in the knowledge driven economy. There remains a focus on old style factory thinking, ensuring that school leavers complete education with a certain amount of knowledge, but sacrificing their ability to think on their feet. To become a knowledge economy we must focus on sowing the seeds of innovation right from the early years of education. This means changing the focus from fact cramming, to creativity and problem solving. We should look to learn from the US and develop an education system which creates young innovators and entrepreneurs. Changing how education works will be a big challenge. But if we are serious about the knowledge economy, we must be serious about creating the workforce to enable us to get there."
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