Down with skool

What would happen if compulsory education were replaced with voluntary education; should we as a society promote the 'pushing of string'?

Prior to compulsory education, there was a lack of general means for the majority to afford schooling, it was a preserve of those with disposable income, or reliant on local charity.

What if we kept the present structure, but removed the compulsory element?

I believe the system of education would become instantly more efficient and efficacious; in that a voluntary class must be more cooperative and pro-active, in much the same way that a voluntary army is more battle effective than a conscripted one (c.f. Falklands war 1982).

Of course there would also be a more distinct demarcation between the educated and the 'blissful'. But would that be such a bad thing? It may be that the resentment between academics and non-academics is a symptom of the compulsory system, the protracted humiliation brought about by hammering round pegs into square holes during the formative years.

In the pursuit of 'normalizing' education, wisdom has become a contention rather than a pure advantage. Academics will be heard as much apologizing for their prowess as divulging their knowledge in a society with a high proportion of the academically traumatized.

And as for covering up the scars with copious qualifications where nobody fails, at best it teaches conceit, at worst we become feckless.

Wot u fink?