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Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:42 GMT 10:42 UK

The origin of both Eastern and Western education is philosophy. Any student who cannot realise the nature and limits what they learn will become a bigot of some kind. Of all the students I have known up to post-grad level, the most balanced, wised and content individuals are those who have taken some kind of epistemological study in their education.

Sting is also right, music was a core subject in the history of education.

Edward, London

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:40 GMT 10:40 UK

I can't say that singing 'Cherry Ripe' off-key at school did much for my musical abilities. When I left school, I knew nothing about music, even though we supposedly had music "lessons" over 10 years. 60-odd years later, I'm still no musician, but I understand a lot more about it than I did then. The 3 Rs are infinitely more important, including good grammar and spelling plus, today, classical languages as a background for modern ones.

Devil Incarnate, Cyprus

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:35 GMT 10:35 UK

All the time, along with trigonometry, calculus, etc. It's one of the reasons I earn enough to live somewhere decent instead of in some run-down estate.

[ForceCrag], Stockport

Must admit, this gave me a bit of a chuckle. 'Earn enough to live somewhere decent' followed by Stockport? You obviously don't earn THAT much xP

I do agree though, Algebra is more important than most people seem to make out. Depending on your job of course.

ThunderClass, Stockport

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:34 GMT 10:34 UK

Sting thinks that the UK is producing good music?

During the last 10 years I can think of very few bands that still produce meaningful music. The vast majority is the same, identical trash. They dont use folk at all - like all the great British bands have and they dont seem to have any good influencies.

Where is Led Zeppelin, Queen, Chris Rea, David Bowie, Sting influencies in the music produced in the UK today? Nowhere.

Indie non-sense is all around and this is very disturbing.

chiara, dublin

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:32 GMT 10:32 UK

At my junior school we were taught how to do the alphabet in sign language braille and morse code! It made it more fun trying to figure out what's being written.
We also had lessons where we had to build racing cars out of balsa and elastic bands and, in secondary school, we even got to use a vacuform machine to make plastic moulds of things.
All of these more fun learning skills have been replaced with boring repetition in order to pass exams, it's a crying shame.

Sian, Kent, UK

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:32 GMT 10:32 UK

A healthy mind in a healthy body. Get that bit right and the rest becomes a lot easier.

Alan, Oxted

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:28 GMT 10:28 UK

I think it is fair to say that a decent education should be broad and varied. Where talent in a given subject is found opportunities for building on it should be provided. Education at its best should not solely concern academic achievement, rather it should recognise the immense value of practical skills too.
Sadly though, education has become a tool within the political arsenal and so reacts to political influence before it reacts to the needs of children.

Brendan MacLean, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:26 GMT 10:26 UK

Politics should be taught from a younger age, possibly around 14 so that by the time it comes to voting age, people will be much more informed and might want to vote! I don't think we know enough about politics when we leave school. Considering it is a vital way of running our country, it's just not open or appealing enough to the younger generation.

eL dIRT, United Kingdom

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:25 GMT 10:25 UK

If we were not in a recession I would say give children the opportunity to try everything This is the way we discover genius and just ordinary ability. Unfortunately we are in a recession and although it would be great to have all these subjects for children we must be realistic. If we do not have the money to pay for care of the elderly and money to pay for many other NHS services then we must make cuts
Every department will take some cuts, surely it is more important to fund the basics well

LYDIA REID, EDINBURGH Don't mention Christianity or the HEFA Bill

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:22 GMT 10:22 UK

Survival skills in and outside of society.

Why can children of hunter gatherer tribes look after themselves already before the age of 8, but lots of children in our society cant look after themselves by the age of 20 !
Its a system of 'dependancy' that we create to sustain the system.

Also the 'true' history of mankind, not just the history of our agricultural 'attempt'.
'Pointless', because its 'Pre-history' ?
... did the ancetors of fish live in 'pre-water' ?

SHANE, PORTSMOUTH

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:13 GMT 10:13 UK

"Darwinism"

Terry Smith, Bexley, United Kingdom

Don't forget Newtonism and Mendeleevism. Oh, let's just say science. :-)

Richard Smart, Barry, United Kingdom

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:10 GMT 10:10 UK

I don't suppose the CBI will be happy until we have a Japanese style education system!! Lord knows the powers that be have looked to that for inspiration. Rote learning etc. I was lucky to have a well rounded education. I am a musician and composer myself, and benefited from the wide source of music I was exposed to. Classical, experimental, avant garde...in PRIMARY SCHOOL. I also read voraciously, developing a vocabulary advanced for my age.

OddBoy, Salford

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:07 GMT 10:07 UK

Before any subjects are chosen, basic manners, discipline, and honesty should be taught, somehting that is sadly lacking in what the schools produce. I know this is supposed to be the parents job, but as much as schools are failing us at the moments, so are parents.

[donniemunro]

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:06 GMT 10:06 UK

How about learning something actually relevent & true.

I have seen so many TV programmes with young people, who just do not have a clue about how people live making & producing food & cheap goods so that we can live like gods in comparison.

This country has become so soft & lame in so many areas of importance that I doubt we could survive any major catastrophy such as WWII.

We have just lost so much as a society, useful skills are replaced with lazy non essential non physical skills.

[MrWonderfulReality]

Added: Tuesday, 2 June, 2009, 09:05 GMT 10:05 UK

Music and other arts should be compulsory in primary school timetables where time can be set aside for such fun and engaging activities, but when secondary school is reached, for those without an interest or ability in the subject should not have to persist with it for the sake of it if they prefer sport, drama, art or indeed any other subject. At this point it should be voluntary, but with the school encouraging and promoting participation in all of the arts.

Liam Padraig, Scarborough