Failing education system responsible for young people's disinterest in science, claim UK business leaders
Too many young people in the UK are turning their backs on science and technology because of faults in the education system, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has claimed. It warns that thousands of potential scientists are being lost because of a 'stripped-down' science curriculum, a lack of specialist teachers, and 'uninspiring' careers. This is resulting in the erosion of the UK's world class science base and comes at a time when new international competitors are emerging and traditional rivals are getting stronger. In a statement published on 14 August, the CBI says that problems start at secondary school, and then reverberate up the education system. Recent figures suggest the same, showing that the number of pupils studying physics for A-levels (exams normally taken at age 18) has fallen by 56 per cent in 20 years. Over the same period those studying A-level chemistry has dropped 37 per cent. Over the last decade, the number of graduates who leave university with a degree in physics, engineering or technology has also slumped, as a proportion of the whole, by a third - only 32,000 graduated in these subjects in 2005. At the same time, job openings for chemists, physicists, engineers, and lab technicians have risen, and it is estimated that by 2014 the UK will need to find 2.4 million new people with these skills to meet expected needs. 'Employers are increasingly worried about the long-term decline in numbers studying A-level physics, chemistry and maths, and the knock-on effect on these subjects, and engineering, at university. They see, at first hand, the young people who leave school and university looking for a job, and compare them to what they need - and increasingly are looking overseas for graduates,' said CBI Director-General Richard Lambert. According to Mr Lambert, the problem lies with the teachers, not the students, who he said work hard to achieve the best possible grades in the system provided. '[I]t is clear we need more specialised teachers to share their enthusiasm for science and fire the imaginations of pupils, and to persuade them to study the core individual disciplines to high levels.' Non-specialist teachers admit to a lack of confidence, expertise and training when it comes to teaching science. They are less likely go beyond the basic demands of the curriculum and to excite students. As a result, fewer pupils pursue the subject at A-level or opt to study less challenging subjects which are seen as easier to do well in, the CBI claims. A report recently submitted to the UK's House of Lords estimated that a quarter of secondary schools in the UK do not have a teacher sufficiently trained in physics. Only one in five science teachers has a specialist physics qualification, and one in four chemistry teachers has a specialist qualification in the subject. The CBI also points to the vacancy rate for maths and science teachers, which it says is 50 per cent higher than for any other subjects. In addition, one in three physics teachers is expected to retire within the next 10 years, while up to half of all new science teachers leave the profession within five years because of the workload, poor pupil behaviour, and low salaries. The UK government has been addressing the problem with the introduction of training bursaries for science teachers and cash bonuses otherwise known as 'golden hellos'. And while the number of science and maths teachers is increasing, albeit very slowly, more needs to be done to make the issue a priority, says the CBI 'The profession should be made more attractive as a career option, with its reputation and prestige increased.' The CBI is also critical of the secondary education curriculum, which it says is partly to blame for the lack of students choosing science at university. Over three-quarters of school children follow Double Award Science, which the CBI says crams three disciplines into the time normally given to two, rather than three individual disciplines. 'This can leave teenagers ill-equipped for A-level and the lack of practical skills is often exposed at university, where many tutors have to organise catch-up courses,' reads the statement. The CBI argues that all children should be given the option to study the three science subjects separately. It urges the government, which aims to deliver this option by 2008, to start the process sooner. 'More time must be given to teaching technical and practical skills in all science courses - the proposed new version of Double Award Science might achieve this but it has yet to be proved.' The statement also calls for better careers advice to be given to young people about science, as well as the rewarding opportunities that it offers. 'We must smash the stereotypes that surround science and re-brand it as desirable and exciting; a gateway to some fantastic career opportunities. The Government does have time to tackle these problems before they become critical. However this means it must set itself more challenging targets, not settle for easily achievable ones which do not deliver for the needs of the country quickly enough,' said Mr Lambert. A greater partnership between government and business, the CBI suggests, could be key to delivering quality work experience and careers advice to students of both sexes to help them realise the potential that the world of science can offer. This would provide an understanding of how science connects with the classroom and, more important, the unexpected doors that a science background can open.
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