I just don’t understand why not all countries are investing heavily in schools and education. Today’s kids are the future tax payers and citizens. It should be one of the most important things to invest in and yet, school buildings are falling apart, text books are either worn and outdated or massively overprized, teachers are overworked, underpaid and disrespected, staff is never enough, digitalization is nothing more than a hopeful wish because there simply is no funding to implement it, buy the hardware or hire IT experts to introduce and maintain it
The (over)simplified reason: Students have no lobby. They pay no taxes and generally create no public or monetary values while going to school. Investing in them might be a really good idea for the wider future, but a legislature is only so long and noone wants to invest a fortune only to get nothing back. Later when the students grow up, they forget the struggle or even romanticize it. Then it’s “today’s kids” that just seem lazy and demanding. So the people that used to go to school have no intention of changing the system either. Of course there are exceptions. That’s probably the only reason things are changing at all. It’s happening, just way too slow.
I agree completely - same for stuff like free school meals, sure there’s some complexity in the implementation - but the idea shouldn’t be controversial to provide all children with healthy food and a level playing field.
But it’s the same situation in healthcare, law enforcement, etc. too - Europe is just in a steep decline right now.
I just don’t understand why not all countries are investing heavily in schools and education. Today’s kids are the future tax payers and citizens. It should be one of the most important things to invest in and yet, school buildings are falling apart, text books are either worn and outdated or massively overprized, teachers are overworked, underpaid and disrespected, staff is never enough, digitalization is nothing more than a hopeful wish because there simply is no funding to implement it, buy the hardware or hire IT experts to introduce and maintain it
The (over)simplified reason: Students have no lobby. They pay no taxes and generally create no public or monetary values while going to school. Investing in them might be a really good idea for the wider future, but a legislature is only so long and noone wants to invest a fortune only to get nothing back. Later when the students grow up, they forget the struggle or even romanticize it. Then it’s “today’s kids” that just seem lazy and demanding. So the people that used to go to school have no intention of changing the system either. Of course there are exceptions. That’s probably the only reason things are changing at all. It’s happening, just way too slow.
And they’re not a voting block to be won.
Because educated people are harder for authoritarians to control.
Exactly.
It’s cheaper to brainwash them by forcing pledge of allegiance every morning.
I agree completely - same for stuff like free school meals, sure there’s some complexity in the implementation - but the idea shouldn’t be controversial to provide all children with healthy food and a level playing field.
But it’s the same situation in healthcare, law enforcement, etc. too - Europe is just in a steep decline right now.