Insisting that American kids are competing against students from Bangalore and Beijing, US President Barack Obama has highlighted the urgency to focus more on the country's education system as part of an ambitious 'Race to Top' programme.
"Although there are going to be some disagreements on how we get there (to the top slot in education sector), there are going to be some areas where I think we agree," Obama said in his maiden address to a group of newly-elected governors, including Indian-American Nikki Haley, of South Carolina.
"We all agree that we're going to have to have the best educated workforce in the world because our children are now not just competing against other children in other states in our union, they're now competing against kids in Beijing and Bangalore and Seoul, South Korea," he said.
If the American kids do not have what it takes to compete, then the US is going to have problems economically over the long term, Obama said at the meeting which took place at the Blair House.
"That's why I'm so proud, under the guidance of Arne Duncan, that we have initiated some reforms that have garnered strong bipartisan support. And, frankly, as a Democrat, I've been willing to go after some long-held dogmas in our party in order to spring loose a smarter conversation about how we're educating our kids," he said.
"Our 'Race to the Top' programme is something that has allowed states across the country to initiate reforms in a competitive way and make sure that ideas like charter schools get traction, despite previous resistance. And I'm hoping that we can cooperate with all of you to see how we can continue to make progress on the education front," he said.
All of the American states are going to be interested in innovation and research and development, Obama said.
"And there are governors here, or governors-elect here from both parties who are interested in clean energy, for example, and what can we do to make sure that wind turbines and solar panels and electric cars are made here in the United States, that that doesn't become one more source of imports from other countries. And I'm eager to work with all of you on those issues," he said.
"I think it's going to be very important that we work together on issues of spending. And each of you are going to be struggling with some very tough budgets. Washington is going to be in very tough budget circumstances," Obama said during the meeting.
He said that many of those present at the meeting were elected on the basis "that we've got to get control of spending because you care about the next generation. And if we continue down the path that we're on, then we're going to have problems."
"And what that means is, we're going to be interested in hearing from all of you about programmes that you think are working, but also programmes that you think are not working. Contrary to the mythology, believe it or not, it turns out that I would love to eliminate programmes that don't work. And you guys are the ones oftentimes who are implementing them," Obama said.
