As a follow up to the Norfolk Chamber’s ‘Audience with George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer’ event on the 7 November, we submitted a number of questions from our members to the Chancellor. Responses to those questions are now starting to be received from the relevant Ministers within Westminster.
Chand Chudasama is Assistant Manager at Price Bailey who are based on St Andrews Business Park in Norwich. Price Bailey have been members of the Chamber for around 18 years.
Chand’s question to the Chancellor was:
“In a digital age where knowledge is easily accessible and less relevant in differentiating both candidates for jobs and competing organisations, how does the government plan on creating an education environment that fosters critical thinking and innovation from a young age?
The reason I want to ask the question is that I feel that the changes Michael Gove and this government has made to the education system are based on the regurgitation of knowledge rather than developing staff who can think and add value through innovative ideas.
Much of Germany’s strength in their economic model comes from the financial support and training provide by their ‘Mittlestand’ (or mid-tier) – these long established, family owned businesses are also prevalent in Norfolk but do not have the same level of financial support or integration into the economy as we bundle too much into the ‘SME’ definition.
What is being done to build our middle-tier as much of the economic focus seems to be on start-ups and small businesses which are less secure employers and debtors for lenders?”
Find on the attached document the written response from Elizabeth Truss MP for Education and Childcare.
