Ask the Education Secretary Charles Clarke

Click here or scroll to the bottom of the page to submit your comments.

Charles Clarke was appointed Education Secretary in October 2002 after the surprise resignation of Estelle Morris.

He took over a department rocked by the A-level grading fiasco and preparing to make politically difficult decisions on changes to the way students are funded at university.

But since taking on his new role, Mr Clarke has already announced his plans for a wide-ranging and long-awaited shake-up of higher education in England.

They include allowing universities to charge top-up fees and a pledge to increase the number of specialist schools to encourage higher standards in secondary education.

The A-levels system is also under consideration and could be replaced by an "English baccalaureate".

On Tuesday Mr Clarke - who has a reputation for political toughness - issued a deliberate snub to the biggest teachers' union, the NUT, by saying no ministers would attend its annual conference this Easter.

What are your hopes or fears for England's education? How good are the education systems across the country? Will studying become more or less difficult?

You can put your questions to the Education Secretary, Charles Clarke, in a LIVE interactive forum on Wednesday, 19 February at 1430GMT.

Send your questions for Charles Clarke now:

Name:

Your E-mail Address:

City and Country:

Your questions:

Disclaimer: The BBC will use as many of your questions as possible but we cannot guarantee that all e-mails will be published. The BBC reserves the right to edit comments that are published.