Ah, the United Kingdom, the home of the world's oldest university.
Let's see how education is progressing in this utopian land of intellectual achievement.
The report comes from a British group called Kindred Squared, which listed other rising issues among kids entering kindergarten (called "Reception" in the UK).
This year, staff report that on average, 37% of children joining Reception are not school ready, an increase from 33% in 2024. A lack of independence is growing: 26% of children are not toilet trained (up from 24% last year) and 28% cannot feed themselves and drink independently (up from 26%).
Primary school staff say that 25% (up from 23%) struggle with basic language skills (e.g., saying their name, answering simple questions) although fewer children are starting school unable to communicate their needs (26% down from 29%).
One must wonder what is happening in British education.
Is there anything that has shifted demographics in Great Britain drastically, along with the culture, language, and various norms, at the same time that unprecedented technological advancement has shifted human routines and behavior?
Non-white students now make up 38.4% of all pupils in primary (elementary) schools in the UK (with much higher populations in cities like London, Birmingham, and Bradford), signifying a mass demographic shift on a scale that has never before happened in history ... all over the last 30-40 years.
One question we have been conditioned not to ask is how cultural history with literacy and literature affects education. That is, Western Civilization has had 500 years of widespread literacy due to a combination of technology (the Gutenberg printing press), advocacy (the Christian push for public education, particularly so laymen could read the Bible), and institutions (the common practice of building and maintaining libraries).
Most cultures on the planet did not have any history or interest in these things until very recently, and it came alongside exponential technological distractions like film, the smartphone, and the internet.
Still, the larger issue might be the technology, not the migration:
More from Sky News:
Staff estimated they are spending 1.4 hours a day changing nappies [diapers] or helping children who are not toilet trained, and 2.4 hours teaching time a day was lost due to pupils lacking basic skills.
Kindred Squared chief executive Felicity Gillespie said: 'This is no longer just a classroom issue; it is a systemic crisis fuelled by stretched school resources, low expectations, the rising cost of living, and by parents who lack the right information and understanding early enough to truly support their children's development.'
Parents, put down the phone, read your toddlers a book, and teach them to use the toilet! 🤦♂️
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