Tories pledge to 'remove state school monopoly'

The Conservative Party has announced that it would introduce independent learning providers to state education to help drive down costs, those with jobs in education may be interested to hear.

George Osbourne, the shadow chancellor, called for an overhaul of the education sector which would see the current system replaced with a Scandanavian-style arrangement.

Mr Osbourne said: "I think general public service reform, as we have seen in countries like Sweden, like the United States and elsewhere, can improve dramatically the quality of the education our children receive ... even in a period of budget restraint."

In Sweden, businesses, charities and parents' groups are entitled to set up schools.

"Education is still free for people, for children and parents, it's just that not all teachers in the country are employed by the state," he added.

Earlier this month saw shadow schools secretary Michael Gove announce that there are too few specialist secondary school staff in the UK.

Mr Gove noted that physical education teachers currently outnumber history teachers.

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