How we respond to the exams crisis is critical for a levelled up Britain

The exams crisis in England and Wales this summer threatens to be as damaging for the public’s confidence in the ability of Boris Johnson’s government to tackle regional inequalities and level up Britain as the crisis over the exchange rate mechanism (ERM) was for John Major’s reputation on economic management. How it responds now is pivotal for the country’s future, but also the current administration’s.

As soon as the decision was taken to close schools in mid-March, it was clear that there needed to be a plan in place for reopening them and helping young people catch up on the education they lost out on during lockdown.

It was also clear that children who were already less privileged were most affected by the shutdown. It was clear when life-defining exams were cancelled that there would also need to be a way to ensure university places, apprenticeships and wider employment opportunities wouldn’t become even further out of reach.

Read more:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/25/exams-fiasco-boris-johnson

Rt Hon Justine Greening

Founder, Social Mobility Pledge

Former Secretary of State for Education, Minister for Women and Equalities, Secretary of State for International Development, Secretary of State for Transport, Economic Secretary to the Treasury