MichelleRhee, the chancellor oftheawful school systeminWashington, DC, closedfailingschools, firedmore than 200 ineffectiveteachersandprincipals, andadvocatedmeritpay.
This opinion is supported by long-term research published recently in the United States, which tracked a sample of academics who had worked within a merit-pay system.
In his report into police pay and conditions last year, Mr Winsor called for the abolition of a series of allowances and special payments and for a paysystem that recognised hard work and merit instead of long service.