New Education Secretary

Following the change of government, it's been announced that the new Education Secretary is Conservative MP Michael Gove. In recent weeks his calls for parents to be allowed to set up their own schools have caused heated debate among political commentators.

Of course, there are many other issues that a new Education Secretary must deal with. To get an idea of the future shape of government policy in this area, you can read this interview in which Michael Gove responds to questions from readers of the Guardian. Or if you have the time to spare, click on this link to read a transcript of a speech entitled What is Education For? which he delivered last summer to the RSA.

In a further change, the DCSF has been renamed as the Department for Education. More reaction to Gove's appointment is currently available in the right-hand column of this page from the links in the 'Useful Articles' section.