, Education Secretary, speaking today at 15:50 on the
main stage of Conservative Party Conference, Manchester said:
With a name like ZAHAWI...
…. I can’t claim that my ancestors fought…
... at the Battle of HASTINGS.
I was born in Baghdad, in Saddam’s Iraq….
….and grew up there until my parents fled when I was 11.
They arrived in this country with almost NOTHING.
But they believed…
...in the limitless power of education…
….to UNLOCK opportunity.
They passed that belief on to ME.
At the age of 11….
….I was sat at the back of a classroom…
...unable to speak a WORD of English.
But with the support and guidance of my teachers…..
….I began to speak the language…
…. think in the language….
…. and most importantly of all…
... READ the language.
Those kind...patient..DEDICATED teachers…
... THREW open the doors of my mind.
And because of what they did for me….
... I am able…
….to proudly stand before you…
... as the Member of Parliament for Shakespeare's…
…..STRATFORD....
….and the new Secretary of State for Education in Her Majesty’s
GOVERNMENT.
My own experience has formed what I believe about education.
Talent and potential exist in ALL corners of our country.
But that great untapped resource needs UNLOCKING.
Being able to read…
...unlocks the entire curriculum.
Children who are behind in language development at age five….
... are six times less likely to reach the expected standard in
English at age eleven.
And maths achievement…
... is an important driver in later outcomes.
A one grade improvement in GCSE mathematics maths….
…. is associated with an estimated increase of £14,500 in
additional lifetime earnings.
I PROMISE you…
... that I will be led by evidence…
... in the decisions that I take.
We will relentlessly focus on what WORKS.
And we will…
….IRREVO…CABLY
…..improve children’s futures…
…. and the future of this COUNTRY.
Literacy and numeracy…
.. are the foundation of EVERYTHING.
Ensuring that our children recover what they lost during the
pandemic….
…. is a moral IMPERATIVE for this government.
We are delivering up to 6 MILLION packages of tutoring in schools
this parliament.
Literacy specialists from our English Hubs…
... are currently delivering intensive support to over 1000
partner schools …
...reaching approximately 50,000 pupils in Reception and Year
1.
To ensure that EVERY young person…
…. is equipped with the skills they need for further study and
the world of work …
...we’re investing in programmes including maths hubs….
... and the Advanced Maths Support Programme.
And at post-16 level…
….we are funding colleges to deliver a further 2 million
courses.
One day soon….
….I want T Levels…
…. to be as famous as A Levels!
Thanks to a CONSERVATIVE Government….
...one-to-one tutoring is no longer the preserve of the
wealthy….
…. but the right of EVERY child.
Every child deserves a great teacher.
And every teacher deserves great TRAINING.
So….
...as the foundation of the next decade of reform….
….during this parliament…
….we will deliver 500,000 teacher training opportunities.
We are carrying out a fundamental OVERHAUL....
... that will make this country the best in the WORLD….
... to train and learn as a teacher.
And that means investing in our outstanding EARLY years staff
too.
40% of educational inequality…
... is baked in by the age of 5.
Great early education can CHANGE that.
Which is why we are investing a record £180 million…
…. in developing and DEEPENING the expertise of the brilliant men
and women….
….who care for and educate our children…
…. when they are absorbing MOST about the world around them.
And our ambition is not simply to recover…..
... but to build back BETTER.
That is why I will bring forward a schools white paper in the new
year….
…. outlining plans to tackle innumeracy and illiteracy.
We will RELENTLESSLY drive-up standards…
….building back a better and fairer school system.
I will work TIRELESSLY to spread opportunity….
….and unleash the BRILLIANCE of the young people of this country.
As Vaccines Minister….
….I saw what is possible….
….when we come together to deliver on a shared ambition.
The vaccine story…..
...EPITOMISES the spirit…
...of our United….
…..Kingdom.
Give us a target….
...no matter how AMBITIOUS…
...and we will come together…
….and...we..will...HIT it.
We used evidence, expertise, passion and COMMITMENT....
….to deliver a world leading vaccine programme.
We will do the SAME with education…
…. coming together with the shared goal…
... of delivering a bright FUTURE for our children.
Speaking as a PROUD engineering graduate of UCL….
...I know that our universities are the ENVY of the world.
How many vaccines are named after a university?
Only ONE!
Thanks to them….
...we can be here together...
….we can HUG our family and friends...
….and we can live our LIVES.
Conference….
….I think this would be a FINE moment….
….to show our appreciation….
….to the University of….
…..OXFORD!!!
You know…
...in some quarters….
….it has become fashionable...
….to KNOCK this country….
...to deride our heritage….
... and mock our patriotism.
Well…
…this country has given me EVERYTHING.
A home, a life, a FAMILY….
….and an opportunity to serve in Her Majesty’s GOVERNMENT.
So NEVER let anyone tell you….
….that Britain is not GREAT!
It took in a young Kurdish boy…
...without a WORD of English…
…. and made him a Cabinet Minister.
Now it’s MY turn….
….to make sure….
…. that the opportunities that transformed MY life….
…. are available to EVERY child…
…..in EVERY corner….
….of our great country.
I intend to be…
…. the Secretary of State…
….for ASPIRATION…
... and OPPORTUNITY
.. and SKILLS.
And together….
... we will level up this country….
….and provide the KEY..
…. that unlocks…
...the limitless POTENTIAL….
…. of our next GENERATION!
Thank you.
