Academic teaching affected by 'encroachment of politics'

May 28 2010

Schools should not be expected to tackle some of the ills that afflict today's society, Professor Michael Young, from the London Knowledge Lab at the Institute of Education, has said.

"Time spent on discussions about obesity, drug use [and] teenage pregnancy can certainly deny pupils opportunities for what only schools can provide," he explained.

Mr Young's comments came as a new report by the Prince's Teaching Institute found that all kinds of social issues are making their way into the school curriculum.

According to the report, which came out of a seminar attended by secondary head teachers to share their views on educational issues, there has been too much encroachment of politics into education.

As a result, schools are being expected to deal with a number of social problems, including drug use and obesity, which can take away from more academic subjects.

Mr Young acknowledged that these are important issues than need to be addressed but added that this can be done in places like youth clubs, communities, families and churches.

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