And in general, he says that the German system seemed "less hung up about ideology, which has bedevilled our education system for the past 40 years".

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In short, the big push to increase higher education spending is based more on ideology and misplaced faith than on solid evidence.

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Instead of cultivating independent minds, education is first and foremost a device for enforcing Party ideology to the young and impressionable minds.

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The figures also drew criticism from teaching unions with Mary Bousted, of the Association and Teachers and Lecturers, saying they showed "only too clearly that the expansion of academies is being driven by political ideology and not by what's best for children's education".

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They are fed up with leaders who use ideology, religion and war to distract from the real challenges to peace, prosperity and democracy: a lack of education, a failure to provide jobs and economic opportunity, and the subjugation of women.

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