UKIP: The Mummy Returns

UKIP stalwart David Kurten is striving to unseat a Tory Remainer in his home town. A genuine conservative, Kurten has been a fly in Sadiq Khan’s ointment, courageously speaking up for Brexit and for traditional Christian values in the London Assembly.

Kamala Harris Introduces Legislation for Ten-Hour School Days

Of course, Kamala’s proposal comes under the guide of concern for working parents, but it sure is convenient that it would also give public schools even more influence in the lives of millions of American children by giving them more time with teachers, in the liberal education system, than in their homes with their parents.

Solving Wicked Problems

Education is a ‘wicked problem’ if you go by Australian Public Service Commission criteria. The APSC has long claimed that some policy areas are so complex that they are “highly resistant to resolution.”

Blinded by the Money

One reason for this is that the large numbers of Chinese students at Australian universities are starting to turn their financial clout into political power. Australian academics have been forced to apologise — or worse — for remarks made in the classroom about Sino-sensitive topics like Hong Kong and Taiwan, Tiananmen Square, Tibet, and border disputes with India.

We Could Do Better on Child Care

Rather than formal care, 50% of the mothers said they would prefer informal arrangements. They wanted the option to have a grandparent or other relative, a friend or a nanny providing care, with 66% even saying they would accept a lower subsidy if this meant more flexibility and affordability.

World Class Needn’t Cost the World

We spend relatively less time on reading, writing, literature, and science — while we are dedicating more time to technology. At secondary level, we also spend less time on mathematics. Little wonder Australian students have performed poorly in the international PISA tests covering reading, mathematical, and scientific literacy.

How Many International Students Are Too Many?

If the most successful American public universities are any guide, when it comes to international students, 10% adds diversity to the student body, 15% is the maximum reasonable level, and 20% represents internationalisation gone wild. In Australia, the average level of international students across the entire university system is 26.7%. By any reasonable standard, that’s too high.

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