read it more as a commentary on passive learning over hands on and thought provoking methods. although this rhetoric is likely often included in the anti academic opinions that seek to damage rather than improve schools, which you refer to.

I wish the Conservatives all understood that their more progressive values are progressive, and when right wing parties will say they are going to 'change' things, they just mean regress and destroy in abject ignorance of any actual thought.

The former interpretation of the comic is definitely important, as learning is actually tied to turning your brain on and interacting with the concept, more than no context single fact retrievals, where most of the question is set up, and your actual interaction with it is minimal.

Although I don't doubt a lack of teachers, schools, or general funding are to blame for the simpler methods. Not that I haven't had a couple teachers who didn't care two cents past the booklets they handed you.

So, your point is valid and important, but there is an important "style" of education issues that is also valid.

Not sure when you graduated but this is definitely not the average experience.

No one is saying it’s the teachers’ fault, it’s not. The system is designed to teach to tests (which doesn’t work for most and doesn’t work in the real world either). It teaches zero critical thinking, that’s the main issue. I was a product of a “great” public school and struggled. Wouldn’t have passed without being able to get tutoring after school.

My kids are now going to classical school and they’re WAY ahead of their peers. My 16 yr old isn’t special mentally but he is at least at the college senior level, if not higher in things like philosophy and mechanics. This is true of their classically taught peers as well. They all excel.

baby don't hurt me

In the UK the two main categories for schools are private schools and state schools.

"Public schools" are, unintuitively, a subset of private schools, typically the very old very posh ones.

The term is archaic, but refers to the fact that they weren't run by the state or by the church - i.e. they were run by the public. Of course, this refers to a board of governors made of the super-wealthy, not the average man on the street.

Eton and Harrow are particularly famed for churning out people who end up as Prime Ministers and other high-ranking officials. It's not just the money, but the connections you build there as well. They're also famed for churning out borderline psychopaths who literally think the rest of the world is there to cater to their comfortable lifestyles.

What you say is that education is basically a game for the policy makers.