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Evening Standard Comment: After 50 years, it’s time for Joe Biden to begin | End exam chaos

 (Christian Admas)
(Christian Admas)

After 50 years, it’s time for Joe Biden to begin

If, as Harold Wilson remarked, a week is a long time in politics, what does that say about the career of Joe Biden, who this afternoon will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States?

Biden first took office — on the New Castle county council — in January 1971. For context, this was shortly before the Apollo 14 astronauts rocketed to the moon.

The image of Biden’s raised right hand as he takes the oath of office today will cascade around the world, evidence that US democracy has endured.

There will be no crowds nor the gracious handshake of an outgoing president, but the constitution mandates no such pageantry.

Biden inherits multiple crises. He must tackle the pandemic, refire the US economy and rebuild global alliances that Trump wilfully shattered.

There is also the historic election of Kamala Harris as the first female vice-president and woman of colour in the role.

America will no longer be led by a man who suggests his citizens inject themselves with bleach. Things will likely return to normal. But a return to the status quo is impossible.

The damage inflicted on the US, liberty and the very idea of truth will stay with us for years. Overseas, relations have shifted — a rising China and a Europe aware it can no longer count on unconditional US protection.

Biden’s lofty ambitions will be not achieved in his first 100 days. But, as John F Kennedy remarked 60 years ago today, “let us begin”.

End exams chaos

From Biden’s test of character to the English examination system. Students and teachers are still waiting to hear their fate and the outcome of a consultation which closes next week.

We can be sympathetic about the difficult place in which the Government found itself over assessment, while recognising it wasted months not even considering a plan B.

As we report today, we now have an entire cohort of students sitting distressed and demoralised at home. Many spent their holidays revising for mocks, now they have no direction.

Parents don’t know how to guide or advise. Many at GCSE level have not taken exams since they were 11. How will this affect their ability at A-level? Will this be taken into account? There is a rigour and a goal attached to exams, now entirely removed.

Even in normal times, we do not have a fair education system and we should not pretend otherwise. Home learning has hugely magnified the problem.

But instead of throwing every resource at supporting those disadvantaged by it — and there are myriad ways of doing this — while further modifying our current system, they panicked, and tried to create a brand new one with little time and zero forethought. The result? The educational ecosystem thrown into chaos for every single student in the country.

It was David Cameron and Michael Gove who only a few years ago put exam rigour back at the centre of learning. Yet this Tory government buckled immediately.

Too often you hear sneaking into the discourse around this summer arguments for removing the current system — now is not the time. First protect this year’s students. Don’t use the pandemic as an excuse to start debating wholesale change.

There is still opportunity with the vaccines steaming ahead to ensure exams are further modified but also put back at the forefront this summer — and for immediate focused help for those being most left behind.

Gavin Williamson and Ofqual cannot be blamed for a virus — but they should absolutely take responsibility for their lack of planning and the subsequent chaos