ABSTRACT
Neoliberal policies in education are in and of themselves, inefficient, unproductive, and ineffective. Education policy is moving away from equity and social justice ambitions because these are anathema to neoliberalism. Governments of all major political persuasions have pursued and supported increasingly market-oriented neoliberal policies and practices in education and other areas of social policy. Governments must bear responsibility for the problems neoliberalism has created, as they have outsourced their twentieth-century remit, responsibilities, and advice sources progressively to the commercial/private, for-profit sector. Education leaders possess a strong sense of stewardship and have more inclinations towards ‘fellow feeling’ than they do ‘self-interest.’ Neoliberal practice has been effective in individualizing education leadership and education institutions. Leadership in education needs to change focus–to take responsibility for a broader education purview, including using empirical research. Education leaders believe education is ‘off course,’ heading in the wrong direction, misguided, and producing the very opposite results to those it seeks–higher standards, ‘quality.’
