3 days ago
School children to be taught importance of the armed forces under new government plans
Children in Britain will be taught about the importance of the armed forces in school under new government plans.
The proposal, first reported by the Telegraph, is part of the government's strategic defence review which is due to be published on Monday.
It will recommend that state school students should be taught the value of the military, to help young people learn about careers in defence, and to boost their connection with the armed forces in an increasingly insecure world.
The plans include a suggestion army reservists could visit schools and speak to children about working in the military.
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While the review doesn't suggest the lessons will be part of the curriculum, they are expected to be delivered through PSHE lessons.
The Telegraph reports officials hope the scheme can be rolled out nationally from primary schools through to secondary schools.
The plans are meant to help tackle the recruitment and retention crisis in the military - the Army, Navy, and Air Force are all currently below their targets for personnel numbers.
Last April the size of the army fell below 73,000, the lowest level since the early 1800s.
The strategic defence review was launched by the Labour government shortly after the election, designed to usher in a "new era for defence" in an time of global instability.
The prime minister announced in February that the UK would increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, funded by a cut in the overseas aid budget.
As ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen reported last week, the review will call for much greater investment in hi-tech weaponry, particularly drone and anti-drone systems, a shift that is already underway as a result of the war in Ukraine.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced this week they will spend over £ 1 billion on AI and drone technology to speed up decisions on the battlefield.
Some commitments - such as the nuclear deterrent, NATO membership and support for Ukraine - are baked into the review's parameters.
The reviewers have also been asked to look at how to reinforce UK homeland security with reports that a civilian 'Home Guard', separate from the Reserves, will be among the recommendations.
Unusually for a defence review, the key work has been done independently of the Ministry of Defence by the former NATO Secretary-General and Defence Secretary Lord Robertson, former Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Richard Barrons, and Dr Fiona Hill, who advised Donald Trump on European and Russian affairs during his first term.
