neoliberalism and new right perspective on education

what is neoliberalism

an economic doctrine that has had a major influence on education policy. they argue that the state shouldn’t provide services like education, health and welfare.

what is neoliberalism based on

the idea that the state must not dictate to individuals how to dispose of their own property, and should not try to regulate a free-market economy, so governments should encourage competition, privatise state-run businesses and deregulate markets.

what do neoliberalisms argue 

they argue that the value of education lies in how well it enables the country to compete in the global marketplace. they claim this can only happen if schools become more like businesses, empowering parents and pupils as consumers and using competition between schools to drive up standards. 

what is the New Right

a conservative political view that incorporates neloliberal economic ideas. a central principle they believe in is that the state cannot meet their peoples needs and that people are best left to meet their own needs through the free market. this is why they favour the marketisation of education

similarities between the new right ans functionalist views

• both believe that some people are more naturally talented than others.

• both favour an education system run on meritocratic principles of open competition, and one that serves the needs of the economy by preparing young people for work.

• both think that education should socialise pupils into shared values such as competition, and instil a sense of national identity.

whats a key difference between functionalist and the new right

the new right do not believe that the current education system is achieving the goals that they agree on- they think the reason for its failure is that its run by the state. 

what do the new right think about the education system 

they argue that the state education system take a ‘one size fits all’ approach, imposing uniformity and disregarding local needs. the local consumers who use the school- pupils, parents, employees- have no say. state education systems are therefore unresponsive and inefficient. schools that waste money or get bad results are not answerable to their consumers. this means lower standards of achievement for pupils, a less qualified workforce and a less prosperous economy.     

there solution to these problems is the marketisiation of education. they believe competition between schools and empowering consumers will bring greater diversity, choice and efficiency to schools increasing there ability to meet pupil needs. 

what is chubb and moe’s consumer choice 

a new right perspective on education by Americans John Chubb and Terry Moe.

they argue state-run education in the US had failed because:

• it has not created equal opportunity’s and has failed the needs of disadvantaged groups 

• it is inefficient because it fails to produce pupils with the skilled needed by the economy 

• private schools deliver higher quality education because, unlike state schools, they are answerable to paying consumers- the parents  

what do chubb and moe base their argument on

a comparison of the achievements of 60,000 pupils from low-income families in 1,015 state and private schools, together with the finding of a parent survey and case studies of ‘failing’ schools apparently being ‘turned around’. their evidence shows that pupils from low income families consistently do about 5% better in private than in state schools.

based on these findings they call for an introduction of a market system in state education that would put control in the hands of the consumers . they argue this would allow consumers to shape schools to meet their own needs and would improve quality and efficiency.

what did chubb and moe suggest to introduce a market into state education

a system where each family would be given a voucher to spend on buying education from a school of their choice, forcing schools to become more responsive to parents wishes as the voucher would be the schools main source of income. like private businesses schools would have to compete to attract customers by improving their ‘product’. this is already a principle at work in the private education sector and in chubb and moes view education standards would be greatly improved by introducing the same market forces into the state sector.

what do the new right think the 2 roles of the state should be

• the state imposes a framework on schools within which they have to compete. like publishing ofsted reports and league tables of schools exam results, the state gives parents information with which to make a more informed choice between schools

• the state ensures that schools transmit a shared culture. by imposing a single national curriculum, it seeks to guarantee that school socialise pupils into a single cultural heritage. 

what do the new right believe the education system should do 

affirm the national identity. e,g the national curriculum should emphasise Britians positive role in world history and teach British literature and to embrace Christianity.  

evaluate the new right perspective

• Gewirtz and Ball both argue that competition between schools benefit the middle class, who can use their cultural and economic capital to gain access to more desirable schools. 

• critics argue that the real cause of low education standards is not state control but social inequality and inadequate funding for state schools

• Marxist argue that education does not impose a shared national culture, as the new right claim, but imposes the culture of a dominate minority ruling class and devalues the culture of the working class and minority ethnic groups.