Should politics be taught in schools more?

A politically-enlightened younger generation is a cornerstone of democracy. One of the most insidious aspects of the Taleban fundamentalists active in Afghanistan and northern Pakistan is the frequency with which they have destroyed schools and impeded education, particularly for females. But this nihilistic activity merely highlights how important it is to keeping promoting channels that allow young people to learn.

After a lengthy period of what could be termed the 'status quo', the UK is currently in considerable turmoil. 2014 saw a referendum on Scotland separating from the Union, and this represented the first time 16-17 year olds had been granted the vote, a much higher percentage of whom exercised this democratic right compared to adults. Since then there has been a General Election in 2015 (with another imminent), as well as the most seismic event to hit British politics for decades, the vote to divorce from the European Union. Politics has never been more all-pervasive in Britain, and it is a subject that is increasingly grasping the imagination of younger minds who may previously have felt disconnected from the 'stuffy' environment of Westminster.

State schools teach religion as in inclusive subject, stressing to pupils the diversity of faiths in today's multicultural society, and that there are laws to outlaw discrimination on the basis of belief. Politics should be taught in the same non-partisan way, in order for youngsters to grasp how important this will be in shaping their lives in future.