Knowledge economy is the height of ignorance

SO the OECD has published its latest report comparing the education systems in various countries.

Already, people from all sides are trawling this oracle for any nuggets that may support their particular viewpoint.

There is a fallacy taking wing and growing in the climate of the current recession.

It is that our education system must be geared to teach only those subjects that will produce people who will best serve the “knowledge economy”. The elite who stand to profit most from such ventures are the loudest in preaching this new balderdash. An economy based on soft jobs is doomed to crash again.

Show me the honest politician who will promise us nothing but hard, physical, manual labour and I will give her or him my full support.

The purpose of education is not to churn out slaves for the market economy. Rather it is to draw out the best in each person, not to beat in passing fads.

The greatest gift that education can give to people is the ability to think and reason for themselves. We must not throw away three millennia of humankind’s finest achievements for a basket of modern baubles and trinkets.

The question is: do people exist to serve the economy or does the economy exist to serve the people?

Michael Mernagh

Raheens

Carrigaline

Co Cork