How good is our education system

Almost all countries have some mission statements on Education. The article following is an intent put out by The US President, Barack Obama on the outcome of his educational policy.
I have chosen to put this statement on the blog because it so happens that education is my calling.
Australia has also made big strides in its education programme through the introduction of early childhood education and the implementation of the teaching of languages in schools to name just two areas.
What I am driving at is the importance of education in the preparation of our young for the tasks ahead in all areas of life. It is not enough to just say 'copy the Chinese or the Jews to show improvement' as one politician put it. It involves a lot of energy put in by the students guided by well trained educators.
What is the quality of the programmes that help to prepare our children for higher education not just in the main cities but also throughout the nation. Do we have well trained teachers in the various fields, do we have proper facilities to help with the acquisition of knowledge such as science and language labs especially in the primary and lower secondary areas of the country?
Do we leave out subjects, for example languages, simply because the children have difficulty in coping with their learning?
How often has the government done its homework to improve its education policy?
Something to think about for the purpose of nation building.

Where do we stand

Ihaveb The Current Situation

At this defining moment in our history, preparing our children to compete in the global economy is one of the most urgent challenges we face. We need to stop paying lip service to public education, and start holding communities, administrators, teachers, parents and students accountable. We will prepare the next generation for success in college and the workforce, ensuring that American children lead the world once again in creativity and achievement.

The SolutionImprove K-12 schooling:

• We will recruit an army of new teachers and develop innovative ways to reward teachers who are doing a great job, and we will reform No Child Left Behind so that we are supporting schools that need improvement, rather than punishing them.

• Expand access to higher education:

  After graduating high school, all Americans should be prepared to attend at least one year of job training or higher education to better equip our workforce for the 21st century economy. We will continue to make higher education more affordable by expanding Pell Grants and initiating new tax credits to make sure any young person who works hard and desires a college education can access it.

• Make sure our children are prepared for kindergarten:

  One of the most critical times to influence learning in a child's life is the period before he or she reaches kindergarten. We will invest in early childhood education, by dramatically expanding Head Start and other programs to ensure that all of our young children are ready to enter kindergarten.