As the Italians would say, magari fosse vero. If only it were true. Enthusiasm for education is perfectly understandable. We want the best education possible for our children, because we want them to have a full range of options in life, to be able to appreciate its many marvels and participate in its challenges. We also know that better-educated people tend to earn more. Education's importance is incontrovertible — teaching is my day job, so I certainly hope it is of some value. But whether it constitutes a strategy for economic growth is another matter.