Cultural education

The government recently announced that it wanted every school child to have five hours of culture a week and is funding more cultural education programmes. The government’s belief is that more cultural education will help children develop their creative talents.

Is there anything wrong with this idea? Or is Howard Jacobson right in arguing, in response to the government’s announcement that culture is just education, and should not be seen as something to be bolted on as an afterthought?

Has education become so impoverished that it needs an extra dose of culture? Are the government’s proposals going to help redress the balance or further confuse people about the role of education in society?