Young people in the UK are leaving school without the tools they need to navigate the real world. Over the years, Politics education has been significantly watered down. Initially included in Citizenship Education in 2002, which aimed to promote political literacy and civic engagement, it has since been squeezed into Personal, Social, Health, and Economic (PSHE) education. This shift has reduced the focus on essential topics such as how government works, how policies are made, and how citizens can engage with democracy. The result is inconsistent and superficial teaching about the systems that shape our lives.

At the same time, Religious Education (RE), which could provide a platform for exploring philosophy, focuses primarily on imparting basic knowledge about various religions. It rarely delves into the critical thinking, ethical reasoning, or deep philosophical questions that could help students navigate modern ethical dilemmas. While Politics and Philosophy are available as standalone subjects at A-Level, they are not offered at GCSE, leaving the majority of students without access to these vital disciplines during their formative years.

If things stay the same, we risk creating a generation of citizens who are politically disengaged, ethically unprepared, and economically illiterate. Without structured education in Politics, students will struggle to understand and participate in the systems that govern their lives. Without Philosophy, they will lack the critical thinking and reasoning skills necessary to address complex moral and societal challenges. Without Economics, they will remain unprepared to understand and engage with systems that shape wages, taxes, inequality, and broader economic policies. By making these subjects mandatory, we can ensure every student, regardless of their background, leaves school equipped to think critically, participate in democracy, and understand the economy.

The world is becoming increasingly complex, with rapid changes in politics, technology, and global economics. Other countries, like France and Norway, have already recognized the importance of these subjects. France mandates the study of Philosophy in the final year of secondary school, while Norway includes detailed political education in its social studies curriculum. The UK, by contrast, is falling behind. If we don’t act now, we will continue to fail young people by leaving them without the knowledge to navigate and shape their future.

By making Politics, Philosophy, and Economics mandatory alongside English, Maths, and Science, we can prepare the next generation for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Sign this petition to ensure every student is equipped to think critically, engage in democracy, and understand the economy.

(This petition was created by the Make Politics Boring Again podcast, which you can listen and subscribe to here)