Democracy in education?

How about this as a statement to think about in the current 'demand-led' procurement round for contracts with the LSC?

"Instead of wave after wave of reform, bouncing from concerns about equity to diversity and back again, the people who experience the paradox - the tutors and students - should be directly engaged in deciding the shifting relationship between how much equity and how much diversity. They must live and manage the paradox. This is the argument for democratisation of adult learning and other crucial public services.

Democracy has two distinct benefits. On instrumental grounds, opening up the design of services to staff and users would transform the productivity and efficiency of adult learning. It is the people at the sharp end of providing and receiving education who know best how to deliver it and what they want. Reform then becomes organic and truly adaptable, and not forced through a rigid machine or unjust markets.

There is an equally important intrinsic benefit of democracy. Through our collective voice, we demonstrate the common ownership of education as a site of social citizenship, which we value not just because it makes us well, but because it makes us more equal and puts us in control of our world. Democracy is the means and ends of the good society."

Actually, this extract from a 'New Statesman' article is about the NHS. I just replaced some words (in green)! You can see the full article here.