A very large part of successful policy formulation is good communication and the facilitation of open dialogue. One particularly interesting experiment with this is the Scottish government’s Engage for Education website. This contains information on education initiatives and policies, but interestingly it also has an interactive blog. The bloggers here include the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Michael Russell MP, as well as his junior ministers and some education officials. But perhaps even more significant is the facility for comments by the general public on the site, thereby creating a forum for education debate.
So for example a post on early childhood education prompted a comment by a teacher, and this in turn was followed by a response by the Cabinet Secretary.
Openness in political communication is always good. This website is an excellent idea, and it should be used actively by all those involved in education.
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