Ideology, Instrumentality and Economics Education: on the Secretion of Values within Philanthropy, Financial Capability and Enterprise Education in English Schools

In England state provision for economics education in schools has been negligible. Except for a marginal number of students opting to study economics at secondary level,the subject has been largely limited to implicit lessons in philanthropy through liberal activities such as fundraising for charity and the like. Now, however, New Labour has countered this neglect by adding Personal Financial Capability and Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Education to the statue book.This paper takes issue with both the implicit and explicit curriculum for economics education in an attempt to uncover its assumptions and critique underlying policy.