What the world is awe of when it looks at Britain (and what is in danger of losing), by Lao Fo

What the world is awe of when it looks at Britain (and what is in danger of losing), by Lao Fo

Britain is admired all over the world for setting the standards in a multitude of areas that I will discuss. But how much are those are in danger under a Tory government.

Education,

Britain set the standards in education for over a century. The education systems in Hong Kong and Singapore are built on the ideals and foundations of the British system. Hong Kong and Singapore are the world leaders for education standards in both Science and Mathematics.

However for the UK, the reputation is greatly becoming historical. Standards in education have dropped considerably, and funding has been either cut or mismanaged. This will continue to be squeezed by a Conservative government. Michael Gove, as education minister encouraged introducing an antiquated old-fashioned methodology to teaching practices, rather than forward thinking modern and effective ways of teaching. The current education minister Nicky Morgan looks to continue in the same way. Education standards, unfortunately, suffer because of non-education experts running an education system.  Special education projects that also support schools have also been cut. Social services are also struggling to meet the demands of referrals by schools, thus, cases are prioritised and so non-serious cases are often not dealt with.

This is without me mentioning the historical rises in tuition fees which mean working class and middle-class families find it a burden to send their children to University.  If they do, the average debt is £44,000 (Independent 2014), which means most people will be paying this off in their 40’s or 50’s.

The NHS,

When I speak to foreigners about the NHS, there is a sense of envy and I feel a huge heartfelt sense of pride. It was created by Clement Atlee and his Labour party after the second world war to provide free healthcare to the whole of the UK. The UK has built the second largest workforce in the world to supply the demands of healthcare for an entire country, for no extra cost. Moreover, it works; the standards of healthcare are on a par with Europe and the USA.  However, relating back to education, the UK is unable to produce enough skilled workers such as Doctors and Nurses for the NHS. 26% of Doctors in the NHS are non-British (Guardian 2014). This means the education system in the UK is not adequate enough to produce enough doctors. It also means that with Britain possibly opting out of the EU and introducing tougher immigration laws, doctors and nurses will be harder to find. It will be substantially more difficult to find qualified staff for the NHS.  Also, the Tories have plans to dismantle the NHS. In short, who knows what we will be left with if anything at all of our beloved NHS.

British Post Offices,

The Post Office is the rural hub of village life. The entire operation was put up for sale and sold off for a ridiculous under value. With cost cutting, a post office in your local ASDA will be more likely to find than in a picturesque village main street.

The Railway,

Britain invented the railways, and when you think of Britain you can think of steam trains cutting through the green fields of Britain. Now, British rail is the most expensive, the slowest and the most unreliable service in the world. It costs in public fund £11billion in subsidies, twice as much as when it was nationalised. 

British Diplomacy,

Britain has a great reputation of Diplomacy overseas, there are hangovers from colonial rule, but overall Britain has great skills in overseas involvements, with the exceptions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The Royal family also plays it’s part and acts as ambassadors for overseas communication in many circumstances. Britain in the world has a strong reputation as negotiators and peacekeepers, with also supplying aid and resources to countries such as Nepal following the recent Earthquake.  In return, The British passport allows you to 177 countries overseas without a Visa. This is more than any other country in the world. This is evidence of great British diplomacy. However, this is in danger with the referendum in Europe, which will surely test the skills and strengths of our foreign relationships.

In conclusion, as Brits, we should build on the strengths that the country has built and look to improve them. Britain should not be looking at providing cheaper, and more cost efficient versions of what it has. It has been a disaster for the British railways and the Postal service. Britain has been world leaders in all of these areas, Education, the NHS, the Postal service, the Railways and will possibly be again, if the proper investment and management is implemented. Cuts and austerity are not the answer for a country to prosper.

Sources

The Independent. 2014. Tuition fees: Three quarters of students won’t be able to pay off their debt. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/tuition-fees-three-quarters-of-students-wont-be-able-to-pay-off-their-debt-9866446.html. [Accessed 11 May 15].

The Independent. 2015. Our rail system is broken, and nationalisation has already been proven to work — so what are we waiting for?. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/our-rail-system-is-broken-and-nationalisation-has-already-been-proven-to-work--so-what-are-we-waiting-for-9960432.html. [Accessed 11 May 15].

The Guardian. 2014. Figures show extent of NHS reliance on foreign nationals. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/our-rail-system-is-broken-and-nationalisation-has-already-been-proven-to-work--so-what-are-we-waiting-for-9960432.html. [Accessed 11 May 15].