Ohio governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy expressed dismay at the eroding education standards in the U.S. as students in China and Singapore are years ahead of their American counterparts, he said.
"Wasting no more time on the education achievement crisis. Chinese students are four years ahead, and Singaporean students are five years ahead of us. Seventy-five percent of eighth graders in America are not proficient in math". Ramaswamy stated. He claimed closing down the U.S. Department of Education would be a good beginning but emphasized states should step up and own the problem.
President Donald Trump has supported abolishing the Department of Education, assigning Linda McMahon to oversee the transition. Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where Ramaswamy was co-chief, also terminated a number of contracts that were considered 'woke' and wasteful.
Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and former 2024 presidential candidate, has often criticized American culture for accepting mediocrity. He alleged that American tech firms are overly dependent on overseas talent because of the nation's deteriorating educational system. His comments regarding H-1B employees created ruckus in Republicans, and he departed from DOGE when Trump was sworn in. Though his exit was rumored to have been caused by conflicts with Musk, Trump as well as Musk later supported his Ohio governor race.
Education is a priority area of Ramaswamy's campaign. He recently called for a ban on cell phones in schools, contending that they are a great distraction. He continues to advocate for reforms so that American students can compete in the world in science and technology.
