Education and Employment : The DfEE and its place in history

The Department for Education and Employment was created in 1995. Five years later, this book provided the first major analysis of the background, creation, role and future prospects for the Department and its work. Its publication also marked the centenary of the foundation of the Board of Education in 1900. The study, which was supported by a grant from the Nuffield Foundation, draws upon a rich variety of primary and secondary sources, including interviews with the then Secretary of State, Rt. Hon. David Blunkett and the Permanent Secretary, Sir Michael Bichard. Introductory chapters supply basic historical and comparative contexts and an in-depth account of the creation of the Department. Four historical chapters examine the relationships between the Education and Employment departments throughout the twentieth century. Political and administrative continuities and changes are located within broader cultural frames, from the national efficiency movement associated with the Webbs to the enterprise culture of Margaret Thatcher. A further chapter examines the concept and implementation of lifelong learning. The conclusion identifies the problems and possibilities that faced the DfEE at the start of the twenty-first century. As a result of their analysis of past, present and future, the authors challenge many current assumptions and assertions about the relationship between education and employment. Written in a clear and accessible way, this book will become required reading for politicians, administrators, academics, students and the general public.